Grand

I. fr. and eng. Great; large; high. Contrasted generally with petty, and denoting superiority in magnitude, number, quality, dignity, importance,- etc Grand bill of sale: the instrument whereby a ship is transferred from the builder to the owner, or first purchaser. Grand coutuniier: a collection of the customs, usages and forms of practice which had been in use in France from time immemorial, projected by Charles VIL in 1453, and completed in 1609; — de Normandie: a collection of the laws and ducal customs sessions and oyer and terminer, whose duty it is to receive and hear complaints or accusations in criminal cases, and if they find them sustained by evidence, to find bills of indictment against the persons complained of. Grand larceny: a stealing of property above a certain value, the sum being variously fixed by statute.

In English law. Grand days: certain days in the term which are solemnly kept in the inns of court and chancery, viz. Candlemas day in Hilary Term, Ascension day in Easter, St John the Baptist's day in Trinity, and All Saints in Michaelmas, which are dies non juridici. Grand distress: a process which formerly issued where a tenant or defendant, after being attached, and so returned, neglected to appear, its object being to compel an appearance by distraining goods and profits of lands. Grand serjeanty: a species of tenure in capite, whereby the tenant was bound, instead of serving the king generally in his wars, to do some special honorary service to the king in person.

In old English law. Grand assize: a special or extraordinary kind of jury, introduced by Henry II. for the trial of writs of right, the tenant or defendant being allowed the choice of this mode of trial instead of that by battel, which previously was the only method in use. It consisted of sixteen knights. Grand cape: a judicial writ in the old real actions, which issued for the demandant, to compel an appearance, where the tenant, after being duly summoned, neglected to appear on the return of the writ, or to cast an essoin, or, in case of an essoin being cast, neglected to appear on the adjournment day of the essoin; — ad valeutiam: a species of grand cape which issued against a vouchee, or person vouched to warranty in a real action.

[L. Fr. graund; Lat. magnu9.'\ Great; large; high. A word formed from the French and still in use; contrasted generally y^vih petty, {J^t, petit,) and denoting superiority either in magnitude, number or quality, as grand jury, grand larceny; or in point of precedence, dignity, importance or legal efficacy, as grand assize, grand cape, grand distress, (qq- V.)