Justice \Jus"tice\ (j[u^]s"t[i^]s), n. [F., fr. L. justitia, fr.
justus just. See {Just}, a.]
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1. The quality of being just; conformity to the principles of
righteousness and rectitude in all things; strict
performance of moral obligations; practical conformity to
human or divine law; integrity in the dealings of men with
each other; rectitude; equity; uprightness.
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Justice and judgment are the haditation of thy
throne. --Ps. ixxxix.
11.
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The king-becoming graces,
As justice, verity, temperance, stableness, . . .
I have no relish of them. --Shak.
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2. Conformity to truth and reality in expressing opinions and
in conduct; fair representation of facts respecting merit
or demerit; honesty; fidelity; impartiality; as, the
justice of a description or of a judgment; historical
justice.
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3. The rendering to every one his due or right; just
treatment; requital of desert; merited reward or
punishment; that which is due to one's conduct or motives.
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This even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice
To our own lips. --Shak.
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4. Agreeableness to right; equity; justness; as, the justice
of a claim.
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5. A person duly commissioned to hold courts, or to try and
decide controversies and administer justice.
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Note: This title is given to the judges of the common law
courts in England and in the United States, and extends
to judicial officers and magistrates of every grade.
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{Bed of justice}. See under {Bed}.
{Chief justice}. See in the Vocabulary.
{Justice of the peace} (Law), a judicial officer or
subordinate magistrate appointed for the conservation of
the peace in a specified district, with other incidental
powers specified in his commission. In the United States a
justice of the peace has jurisdiction to adjudicate
certain minor cases, commit offenders, officiate at
marriages, etc.; abbreviated JP.
Syn: Equity; law; right; rectitude; honesty; integrity;
uprightness; fairness; impartiality.
Usage: {Justice}, {Equity}, {Law}. Justice and equity are the
same; but human laws, though designed to secure
justice, are of necessity imperfect, and hence what is
strictly legal is at times far from being equitable or
just. Here a court of equity comes in to redress the
grievances. It does so, as distinguished from courts
of law; and as the latter are often styled courts of
justice, some have fancied that there is in this case
a conflict between justice and equity. The real
conflict is against the working of the law; this a
court of equity brings into accordance with the claims
of justice. It would be an unfortunate use of language
which should lead any one to imagine he might have
justice on his side while practicing iniquity
(inequity). {Justice}, {Rectitude}. Rectitude, in its
widest sense, is one of the most comprehensive words
in our language, denoting absolute conformity to the
rule of right in principle and practice. Justice
refers more especially to the carrying out of law, and
has been considered by moralists as of three kinds:
(1) Commutative justice, which gives every man his own
property, including things pledged by promise. (2)
Distributive justice, which gives every man his exact
deserts. (3) General justice, which carries out all
the ends of law, though not in every case through the
precise channels of commutative or distributive
justice; as we see often done by a parent or a ruler
in his dealings with those who are subject to his
control.
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