Death

The cessation of life; the ceasing to exist. Civil death is the state of a person who, though possessing natural life, has lost all his civil rights, and as to them is considered as dead. A person convicted and attainted of felony, and sentenced to the state prison for life,- is, in the state of New York, in consequence of the act of March 29, 1799, and by virtue of the conviction and sentence of imprisonment for life, to be considered as civilly dead.

6 Johns. Ch. (N. Y.) 118; 4 Johns. Ch. (N. Y.) 228, 260; Laws N. Y. Sess. 24, c. 49, §§ 29, 30, 31.

This is also true in a number of other states. And a similar doctrine anciently prevailed in other cases at common law in England.

See Co. Litt. 133; 1 Sharswood, Bl. Comm. 132, note.

Natural death is the cessation of life. It is also used to denote a death which occurs by the unassisted operation of natural causes, as distinguished from a violent death, or one caused or accelerated by the interference of human agency.