United States v. Amistad

Glossary

• a fortiori a Latin phrase meaning roughly “with stronger or greater reason”
• act of the 3d of March, 1819 Act of March 3, 1819, Relative to the Slave Trade, giving the president the power to block illegal transportation of slaves
• casus foederis Latin for “case of the alliance,” referring to a situation in which the terms of an alliance between nations come into play
• clothed in law, refers to a pretense or fraud
• information in law, a lawsuit
• libel in maritime law, a lawsuit
• onus probandi Latin for “burden of proof”
• prima facie Latin for “at first sight,” referring to a legal matter not needing proof unless contrary evidence is shown
• sitting in admiralty functioning as an admiralty court, or one that hears cases involving maritime law
• tortious act an act that subjects the doer to liability, or fault, in tort law
• treaty between the United States and Spain Pinckney's Treaty or, more formally, the Treaty of San Lorenzo or the Treaty of Madrid, signed in 1795