法律英语|英文法律词典 O-14

OPINION, judgment^{1. A collection of reasons delivered by a judge for giving the judgment he is about to pronounce the judgment itself is sometimes called an opinion.}

2. Such an opinion ought to be a perfect syllogism^{2, the major of which should be the law; the minor3, the fact to be decided4 and the consequence, the judgment which declares that to be conformable or contrary to law.}

3. Opinions are judicial^{5 or extra-judicial; a judicial opinion is one which is given on a matter which is legally brought before the judge for his decision; an extra-judicial opinion, is one which although given in court, is not necessary to the judgment. Vaughan, 382; 1 Hale's Hist. 141; and whether given in or out of court, is no more than the prolatum of him who gives it, and has no legal efficacy. 4 Penn. St. R. 28. Vide Reason.}

OPPOSITION^{6, practice. The act of a creditor7 who, declares his dissent8 to a debtor's being discharged under the insolvent9 laws.}

OPPRESSOR. One who having public authority uses it unlawfully to tyrannize over another; as, if he keep him in prison until he shall do something which he is not lawfully^{10 bound to do.}

2. To charge a magistrate^{11 with being an oppressor, is therefore actionable. Stark12. Sland. 185.}

OPPROBRIUM^{13, civil law. Ignominy; shame; infamy14.}

OPTION. Choice; Election; where the subject is considered.

OR. This syllable^{15 in the termination of words has an active signification, and usually denotes the doer of an act; as, the grantor, he who makes a grant; the vendor16, he who makes a sale; the feoffor, he who makes a feoffment. Litt. s. 57; 1 Bl. Com. 140, n.}

ORACULUM, civil law. The name of a kind of decisions given by the Roman emperors.

ORAL. Something spoken in contradistinction to something written; as oral evidence, which is evidence delivered verbally by a witness,