Legal Definitions - covinous

Covinous describes something that is inherently deceitful, fraudulent, or characterized by a secret agreement to defraud or mislead. It implies a deliberate intent to trick or cheat, often for an unfair advantage. This term is primarily historical and is not commonly used in modern legal discourse.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of something being covinous:

• Imagine a situation where two business partners secretly agree to inflate the value of their company's assets before selling it to an unsuspecting buyer. This secret agreement, designed to deceive the buyer into paying more than the company is truly worth, would be considered covinous. It demonstrates a fraudulent nature because it involves a deliberate plan to mislead for financial gain.

• Consider a wealthy individual who, upon learning they are about to be sued, quickly transfers ownership of their valuable properties to a relative. If the primary purpose of this transfer was to prevent potential creditors from accessing those assets to satisfy a judgment, the transfer itself could be described as covinous. The act is deceitful because it attempts to hide assets and evade legitimate financial obligations.

• In an old legal case, if a group of conspirators fabricated evidence and coached a witness to give false testimony, all with the intent to wrongfully convict an innocent person, the entire scheme, including the false testimony and fabricated evidence, could be characterized as covinous. It represents a deeply fraudulent and deceitful plot to manipulate the legal process.