Literae Mortuae
Defined in 3 dictionaries — Cyclopedic (1922), Ballentine's (1916), Black's (1891)
The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary
Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922
Dead letters; fulfilling words of a statute. Lord Bacon observes that "there are in every statute certain words which are as veins, where the life and blood of the statute coraeth, and where all doubts do arise, and the rest are literae mortuae, fulfilling words." Bac. St. Uses, (Works, iv. 189).
Ballentine's Law Dictionary
James A. Ballentine · 1916
A Dictionary of Law
Henry Campbell Black · 1891
Dead letters; fulfilling words of a statute. Lord Bacon observes that “there are in every statute certain words which are as veins, where the life and blood of the statute cometh, and where all donbts do arise, and the rest are litere mortue@, fulfilling words.” Bae. St. Uses, (Works, iv. 189.)