Legal Dictionary of Pakistan
Quick lookup for English, Urdu, and Latin legal terms used in Pakistani jurisprudence.
Petty
adj. Relatively insignificant or minor <a petty crime>. Cf. GRAND. petty assize. See ASSIZE c6).
Petty assize.
an assize begun by an original writ. 0 petty assizes were characterized by the form of the writ, which specified the questions to be put to the panel, and ordered that a panel be assembled. The petty assizes were novel disseisin, mort d'ancestor, utrum, and darrein presentment
court of petty sessions
See magistrate's court under COURT.
entry and detainer, and libel on a private person. petty offense
A minor or insignificant crime. "[Me find ... an apparent implication that a 'petty offense' is not a 'crime.' Much could be said for such a position but it is not the law at the present time. In the federal penal code, for example, it is provided that any misdemeanor 'the penalty for which does not exceed imprisonment for a period of six months or a fine of not more than $500, or both, is a petty offense."' Rollin M. Perkins & Ronald N. Boyce, Criminal Law 22 (3d ed. 1982) (quoting 18 USCA ยง 1(3)). political offense. See POLITICAL OFFENSE.
petty cash
Currency kept on hand for incidental expenditures.
petty jury
See petit jury under JURY.
petty larceny
See petit larceny under LARCENY.
petty offense
See OFFENSE (1).
petty officer
See OFFICER (2).
petty sessions
Hist. English law. Sessions of justice-of-the-peace court held to try minor misdemeanors summarily (i.e., without a jury).
petty treason
Archaic. Murder of one's employer or husband. ( Until 1828, this act was considered treason under English law. - Also spelled petit treason. "The frequent reference to high treason is a carry-over from an ancient division of the offense that has long since disappeared. In the feudal stage of history the relation of lord to vassal was quite similar to the relation of king to subject. The relation of husband to wife came to be regarded in the same category, as also did the relation of master to servant, and that of prelate to clergyman. And just as it was high treason to kill the king, so a malicious homicide was petit treason if it involved a killing of (originally, lord by vassal, and later) husband by wife, master by mistress or servant, or prelate by clergyman. When the special brutality provided by the common law for the punishment of petit treason disappeared, this crime became merged with murder and only one crime of treason remained." Rollin M. Perkins & Ronald N. Boyce, Criminal Law 498-99 (3d ed. 1982).