committee

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A person or body of persons to whom a matter is committed for superintendence, action, or recommendation. In Legislation. One or more members of a legislative body, to whom is specially referred some matter before that body, in order that they may investigate and examine into it, and report to those who delegated this authority to them. In Practice. A guardian appointed to take charge of the person or estate of one who has been found to be non compos.

One or more members of a legislative body, to whom is specially referred some matter before that body, in order that they may examine into it and report to the body which delegated this authority to them. The minority of a committee to which a corporate power has been delegated, cannot bind the majority, or do any valid act, in the absence of any special provision otherwise; Brown v. District of Columbia, 127 U. S. 579, 8 Sup. Ct. 1314, 32 L. Ed. 262. A guardian appointed to take charge of the person or estate of one who has been found to be non compos mentis. For committee of the person, the next of kin is usually selected; and, in case of the lunacy of a husband or wife, the one who is of sound mind is entitled, unless under very special circumstances, to be the committee of the other; Shelf. Lun. 137, 140. It is the duty of such a person to take care of the lunatic. For committee of the estate, the heir at law is favored. Relations are preferred to strangers; but the latter may be appointed; Shelf. Lun. 144. It is the duty of such committee to administer the estate faithfully and to account for his administration. Ho cannot, in general, make contracts in relation to the estate of the lunatic, or bind it, without a special order of the court or authority that appointed him.

In practice. An assembly or board of persons to whom the consideration or management of any matter is committed or referred by some court. Lloyd v. Hart, 2 Pa. 473, 45 Am. Dec. 612; Farrar v. Eastman, 5 Me. 345. An individual or body to whom others have delegated or committed a particular duty, or who have taken on themselves to perform it in the expectation of their act being confirmed by the body they profess to represent or act for. 15 Mees. & W. 529. The term is especially applied to the person or persons who are invested, by order of the proper court, with the guardianship of the person and estate of one who has been adjudged a lunatic.

In parliamentary law. A portion of a legislative body, comprising one or more members, who are charged with the duty of examining some matter specially referred to them by the house, or of delibsrating upon it, and reporting to the house the result of their investigations or recommending a course of action. A committee may be appointed for one special occasion, or it may be appointed to deal with all matters which may be referred to it during a whole session or during the life of the body. In the latter case, it is called a "standing committee." It is usually composed of a comparatively small number of members, but may include the whole house.

— Joint committee. A joint committee of a legislative body comprising two chambers is a committee consisting of representatives of each of the two houses, meeting and acting together as one committee

— Secret committee. A secret committee of the house of commons is a committee specially appointed to investigate a certain matter, and to which secrecy being deemed necessary in furtherance of its objects, its proceedings are conducted with closed doors, to the exclusion of all persons not members of the committee. All other committees are open to members of the house, although they may not be serving upon them. Brown.

One or more persons to whom the consideration or management of any matter is committed or referred by court, or by consent of the parties to whom it belongs; tjie person to whom the care and custody of the person or estate of a lunatic is committed by the court.

v. Commission, 4.

In practice. One or more individuals to whom the consideration or management of any matter is committed or referred by some court, or by consent of parties to whom it belongs.* Termes de la ley. CowelL The committee of a lunatic, idiot, &c., is the person to whom the care and custody of the person or estate of such lunatic is committed by the court of chancery. 1 BL Com. 305.

legislation. One or more members of a legislative body to whom is specially referred some matter before that body, in order that they may investigate and examine into it and report to those who delegated this eutnony to them.