Damnum absque injuria

Defined in 4 dictionaries — Case Law, Ballentine's (1916), Black's (1910), Burrill (1850)

Definitions from Case Law

From 5 U.S. 137 - William Marbury v. James Madison · 1803Most cited · 5,264 citing opinions

damnum absque injuria—a loss without an injury.

Show all 7 Supreme Court definitions and how they changed over time 1803–1939

Ballentine's Law Dictionary

James A. Ballentine · 1916

Damage without violation of a legal right. See 113 Mo. 308, 35 Am. St. Rep. 706, 18 L. R. A. 339, 2G S. W. 658.

Black's Law Dictionary

Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910

Loss, hurt or harm without injury in the legal sense, that ls, without such an invasion of rights as is redressible by an action. A loss which does not give rise to an action of damages against the person causing it; as where a person blocks up the windows of a new house overlooking his land or injures a person's trade by setting up an establishment of the same kind in the neighborhood. Broom, Com. Law, 75; Marbury v. Madison, 1 Cranch, 164, 2 L. Ed. 60; West Virginia Transp. Co. v. Standard Oil Co., 50 W. Va. 611, 40 S. E. 591, 56 L. R. A. 804, 88 Am. St. Rep. 895; Irwin v. Askew, 74 Ga. 581; Chase v. Silverstone, 62 Me. 175, 16 Am. Rep. 419; Lumber Co. v. U. S., 69 Fed. 326, 16 C. C. A. 460.

A New Law Dictionary and Glossary

Alexander M. Burrill · 1850

Lat. A loss without a wrong; that kind of damage for which an action will not lie. Vmu •mm» dsmiMBA ladacit ia Jvr UiBi. It is not every loss that produces an injury. Bract, fol. 45 b. If a man commence a business, sets up a trade, or opens a school in a particular place, another may do the same thing in the same place, though he draw away the business or the scholars from the other; for though it be a loss {damnum) to the latter, it is not coupled with such an injury (injuria) as to give a right of action. Holt, C. J., 3 Salk. 10. 3 Ml Cam. 219, 126, 224. 3 Steph, Cam. 466. 1 Smith's Lead. Cas. 131. Broom's Max. 93. Bract. fol. 236. See Injuria. The kind of loss for which an action lies is called by Bracton damnum injuriomm, {injurious damage), -firoc^ fol. 221,231 b.