Definition of Actus

In the civil law. A species of right of way, consisting in the right of driving cattle or a carriage, over the land subject to the servitude. Inst. 2, 3, pr. It is sometimes translated a "road," and included the kind of way termed "iter," or path. Lord Coke, who adopts the term "actus" from Bracton, defines it a foot and horse way, vulgarly called "pack and prime way;" but distinguishes it from a cart-way. Co.. Litt. 56a; Boyden v. Achenbach, 79 N.C. 539. In old English law. An act of parliament; a statute. A distinction, however, was sometimes made between actus and statutum. Actus parliaments was an act made by the lords and commons; and it became statutum, when it received the king's consent Barring. Obs. St 46, note b.