Mesne

Mesne

Mesne (an Anglo-French legal form of the O. Fr. meien, mod. moyen, mean, Med. Lat. medianus, in the middle, cf. "mean"), middle or intermediate, an adjective used in several legal phrases.

  • A mesne lord is a landlord who has tenants holding under him, while himself holding of a superior lord. Similar ideas are subinfeudation and subcontract.
  • Mesne process was such process as intervened between the beginning and end of a suit.
  • Mesne profits are profits derived from land while in wrongful possession, and may be claimed in damages for trespass, either in a separate action or joined with an action for the recovery of the land. The plaintiff must prove that he has re-entered into possession, his title during the period for which he claims, the fact that the defendant has been in possession during that period, and the amount of the mesne profits. The amount recovered as mesne profits need not be limited to the rental value of the land, but may include a sum to cover such items as deterioration or reasonable costs of getting possession.

See also Demesne

References

the word puisne is similar to mesne and is also used in the legal parlour quite often. Puisne means inferior or subeseqent or afterwards

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • mesne — I adjective coming between, interfering, interjacent, intermediary, intermediate, intervenient, intervening, mean, median, middle, transitional associated concepts: mesne attachment, mesne grant, mesne process, mesne profits II index intermediate …   Law dictionary

  • Mesne — Mesne, a. [Cf. {Mean} intermediate.] (Law) Middle; intervening; as, a mesne lord, that is, a lord who holds land of a superior, but grants a part of it to another person, in which case he is a tenant to the superior, but lord or superior to the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mesne — [mēn] adj. [Anglo Fr meen < OFr meien: see MEAN3] Law middle; intermediate; intervening: mesne profits are profits accruing from the time possession of land has been improperly withheld from its rightful owner until his or her reinstatement in …   English World dictionary

  • mesne — mesne; de·mesne; …   English syllables

  • mesne — (adj.) mid 15c., mean; altered spelling (by French influence) of Anglo Fr. meen mean (O.Fr. meien middle; see MEAN (Cf. mean) (adj.); also Cf. DEMESNE (Cf. demesne)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • mesne — adj. Law intermediate. Phrases and idioms: mesne lord hist. a lord holding an estate from a superior feudal lord. mesne process proceedings in a suit intervening between a primary and final process. mesne profits profits received from an estate… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Mesne — A kind of land tenure. Used as in mesne lord , indicating a lord holding land of another who was superior. This arrangement was known as * subinfeudation . [< mesne = intermediate, between, i.e. neither a great lord nor a serf.] Cf. Demesne …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

  • mesne — /miyn/ Intermediate; intervening; the middle between two extremes, especially of rank or time. In feudal law, an intermediate lord; a lord who stood between a tenant and the chief lord; a lord who was also a tenant. As to mesne conveyance and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • mesne — /miyn/ Intermediate; intervening; the middle between two extremes, especially of rank or time. In feudal law, an intermediate lord; a lord who stood between a tenant and the chief lord; a lord who was also a tenant. As to mesne conveyance and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • mesne — adjective Etymology: Anglo French mesne, meiene more at mean Date: circa 1558 intermediate, intervening used in law …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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