The Devil’s Dictionary: “Law,” part 1

In our continuing quest to revisit a classic, or even a curiosity from the past and see how relevant it is, we continue with The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. Originally published in newspaper installments from 1881 until 1906. You might be surprised how current many of the entries are.

For example, here are definitions related to the law. The Old definitions are Bierce’s. The New definitions are mine or somebody else contemporary. The new definitions can also be simply examples of The Devil’s Dictionary definitions. From time to time, just as it was originally published, we will come back to The Devil’s Dictionary, for a look at it then and how it applies today. Click on Devil’s Dictionary in the tags below to bring up the other entries.

OLD DEFINITION:

APPEAL, v.t. In law, to put the dice into the box for another throw.

ARREST, v.t. Formally to detain one accused of unusualness.
God made the world in six days and was arrested on the seventh. –The Unauthorized Version

FORMA PAUPERIS. [Latin] In the character of a poor person–a method by which a litigant without money for lawyers is considerately
permitted to lose his case.

When Adam long ago in Cupid’s awful court
(For Cupid ruled ere Adam was invented)
Sued for Eve’s favor, says an ancient law report,
He stood and pleaded unhabilimented.
“You sue in forma pauperis, I see,” Eve cried;
“Actions can’t here be that way prosecuted.”
So all poor Adam’s motions coldly were denied:
He went away — as he had come — nonsuited.
G.J.

HABEAS CORPUS. A writ by which a man may be taken out of jail when confined for the wrong crime.

HANGMAN, n. An officer of the law charged with duties of the highest dignity and utmost gravity, and held in hereditary disesteem by a populace having a criminal ancestry. In some of the American States his functions are now performed by an electrician, as in New Jersey, where executions by electricity have recently been ordered—the first instance known to this lexicographer of anybody questioning the expediency of hanging Jerseymen.

HOMICIDE, n. The slaying of one human being by another. There are four kinds of homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy, but it makes no great difference to the person slain whether he fell by one kind or another–the classification is for advantage of the lawyers.

NEW DEFINITION

APPEAL, v.t. In law, to put the dice into the box for another throw. If you have enough money, you can keep throwing until you get the role you want.

ARREST, v.t. Formally to detain one accused of unusualness or even being a little different.
God made the world in six days and was arrested on the seventh. –The Unauthorized Version

FORMA PAUPERIS. [Latin] In the character of a poor person–a method by which a litigant without money for lawyers is considerately
permitted to lose his case.

When Adam long ago in Cupid’s awful court
(For Cupid ruled ere Adam was invented)
Sued for Eve’s favor, says an ancient law report,
He stood and pleaded unhabilimented.
“You sue in forma pauperis, I see,” Eve cried;
“Actions can’t here be that way prosecuted.”
So all poor Adam’s motions coldly were denied:
He went away — as he had come — nonsuited.
G.J.

If you cannot afford an attorney in a crime case, one can be appointed for you. Of course, he or she might not be making much more money than you.

HABEAS CORPUS. A writ by which a man may be taken out of jail when confined for the wrong crime. How he was confined to begin with, one may never know given how long it might before the writ is written.

HANGMAN, n. An officer of the law charged with duties of the highest dignity and utmost gravity, and held in hereditary disesteem by a populace having a criminal ancestry. In some of the American States his functions are now performed by an electrician, as in New Jersey, where executions by electricity have recently been ordered—the first instance known to this lexicographer of anybody questioning the expediency of hanging Jerseymen.

A way of making a habeas corpus into a plain corpus.

Today this has been replaced in most states by injection. Contributes less to climate change (global warming) this way.

HOMICIDE, n. The slaying of one human being by another. There are four kinds of homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy, but it makes no great difference to the person slain whether he fell by one kind or another — the classification is for advantage of the lawyers and certain segments of the media who present opinion reportedly under the guise of news.