Legal Definitions - affermer

Affermer is a verb with two primary legal meanings:

• To lease land, especially for agricultural purposes.
• To confirm, ratify, or make something certain and legally binding.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of "affermer":

• Example 1 (Leasing Land): Historically, a wealthy landowner might *affermer* a parcel of their estate to a tenant farmer for a season, allowing them to cultivate crops in exchange for a share of the harvest or a fixed rent. This act formally established the agricultural tenancy.

  Explanation: This example demonstrates the historical meaning of *affermer* as the act of leasing out land, specifically for farming, thereby creating a formal agreement between the landowner and the farmer.

• Example 2 (Confirming a Decision): After a lengthy debate, the company's board of directors voted to *affermer* the CEO's proposal for a new product line. This action officially confirmed and ratified the proposal, making it an authorized company initiative.

  Explanation: In this context, *affermer* signifies the act of confirming or ratifying a decision, giving it official approval and legal certainty within the organization.

• Example 3 (Confirming a Judgment): When a higher court reviews a case and finds no legal errors in the proceedings or decision of a lower court, it will often *affermer* the original judgment. This means the appellate court confirms the validity and correctness of the lower court's ruling, letting it stand.

  Explanation: Here, *affermer* is used in a judicial sense, where a superior court confirms the certainty and legal soundness of a prior court's decision, upholding its outcome.