Cross-hill

One which is brought by a defendant in a suit agninst a plaintiff in or against other defendants in the same suit, or against both, touching the matters in question in the original bill. Story, Eq. PI. § 389; Mitf. Eq. Pi. 80. A cross-bill is a bill brought by a defendant against a plaintiff, or other parties in a former bill depending, touching the matter in question in that bill. It is usually brought either to obtain a necessary discovery of facts in aid of the defense to the original bill, or to obtain full relief to nil parties in reference to the matters of the original bill It is to be treated as a mere auxiliary suit. Shields v. Barrow, 17 How. 144, 15 In Ed. 158; Kidder v. Bare, 35 N. H. 251; Blythe v. Hinckley (C. G.) 84 Fed. 234. A cross-bill is a species of pleading, used for the purpose of obtaining a discovery necessary to the defense, or to obtain some relief founded on the collateral claims of the party defendant to the original suit. Tison v. Tison, 14 Ga. 167. Also, if a bill of exchange or'promissory note be given in consideration of another hill or note, it la called a "cross" or "counter" bill or note. 5. In legislation and constitutional law, the word means a draft of an act of the legislature before it becomes a law ; a proposed or projected law. A draft of an act presented to the legislature, but not enacted. An act is the appropriate term for it, after it has been acted on by, and passed by, the legislature. Southwark Bank v. Comm., 26 Pa. 450; Sedgwick County Com'rs v. Bailey, 13 Kan. 608; May v. Rice, 91 Ind. 549; State v. Hegeman. 2 Pennewill (Del) 147, 44 Atl. 621. Also a special act passed by a legislative body in the exercise of a quasi judicial power. Thus, bills of attainder, bills of pains and penalties, are spoken of.

Defined under Bill in Black's Law Dictionary.