Legal Definitions - half-mark

The term half-mark refers to a legal claim or entitlement to exactly half of a specific right, property, or amount. While largely archaic in modern legal practice, it signifies a precise partial share, specifically 50%, of something under dispute or agreement. It is synonymous with "demimark."

• Example 1: Feudal Land Rights

  In a historical context, a medieval charter might grant a knight a "half-mark" of the annual timber harvest from a particular forest as part of his feudal service. This means the knight held a legal claim to exactly 50% of all timber felled in that forest each year.

  This example illustrates a half-mark because the knight has a defined legal right to precisely half of a specific resource (the timber harvest) based on a formal agreement.

• Example 2: Specific Financial Entitlement in an Old Trust

  An antique trust deed, established centuries ago, might stipulate that a particular charitable institution is entitled to a "half-mark" of the annual income generated by a designated endowment fund. This clause establishes the charity's perpetual legal right to receive exactly 50% of the fund's yearly profits.

  This example demonstrates a half-mark as it represents a clear, legally binding claim to precisely half of a financial stream (the annual income) as outlined in a foundational legal document.

• Example 3: Disputed Mineral Rights

  Imagine a very old property dispute where two families contested ownership of land believed to contain valuable minerals. A historical court ruling might have declared that one family held a "half-mark" claim to the mineral rights beneath the disputed parcel. This meant they were legally entitled to 50% of any profits derived from the extraction of those minerals, even if the surface land was awarded to the other family.

  This example highlights a half-mark by showing a judicial determination that grants one party a precise legal entitlement to half of a specific subsurface property right (the mineral rights).