Terms Used In Missouri Laws 516.080

  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • United States: includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020

In all cases in which the legal title has not yet emanated from the government of the United States, but in which there has been an equitable right or title for more than twenty years, under which a claimant has had a right of action by the statutes of this state, and in which the land has been in the possession of any person for twenty years, claiming the same in fee, any person claiming against the possessor shall bring his action under the legal title within one year after it issues from the government, and in default thereof, he shall be forever barred, and his right and title shall, ipso facto, vest in such possessor.