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confiscation

Defined in 5 dictionaries — Case Law, Black's (1910), Kinney (1893), Black's (1891), Burrill (1850)

Definitions from Case Law

From 299 U.S. 476 - Shoshone Tribe of Indians v. United States · 1937Most cited · 450 citing opinions

The power does not extend so far as to enable the government 'to give the tribal lands to others, or to appropriate them to its own purposes, without rendering, or assuming an obligation to render, just compensation; * * * for that would not be an exercise of guardianship, but an act of confiscation.

Show all 3 Supreme Court definitions and how they changed over time 1813–1937

Black's Law Dictionary

Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910

The act of confiscating; or of condemning and adjudging to the public treasury.

Confiscation acts. Certain acts of congress, enacted during the progress of the civil war (1861 and 1862) in the exercise of the war powers of the government and meant to strengthen its hands and aid in suppressing the rebellion, which authorized the seizure, condemnation, and forfeiture of "property used for insurrectionary purposes." 12 U. S. St. at Large, 319, 689; Miller v. U. S„ 11 Wall. 268, 20 In Ed. 135 ; Semmes v. In S., 91 U. S. 27, 23 In Ed. 193.

Confiscation cases. The name given to a group of fifteen cases decided by the United States supreme court in 1868, on the validity and construction of the confiscation acts of congress. Reported in 7 Wall. 454, 19 In Ed. 196.

A Law Dictionary and Glossary

George C. Kinney · 1893

The act of condemning and adjudging to the public treasury. of a person who has acquired rightp, or become subject to duties, within the limits of more than one state or country.

A Dictionary of Law

Henry Campbell Black · 1891

Theaci of confiscating; or of condemning and adjudging to the public treasury.

A New Law Dictionary and Glossary

Alexander M. Burrill · 1850

The act of condemning and adjudging to the public treasury. Webster. — The appropriation (usually by formal sentence of condemnation,) of private property to the use of the state; as being legally forfeited; the seizure and transfer of forfeited private property to the fiscus or public treasury.* See Confiscare. This term is sometimes used as the synonyme of forfeiture. Blount, voc. Confiscate. But it is rather the consequence of forfeiture, or forfeiture taken advantage of, and acted upon. It is founded upon forfeiture, and cannot exist without it, and therefore perhaps properly includes it; but a forfeiture may take place without confiscation following, as where it is waived or remitted.* See To confiscate.