Legal Definitions - in duplo

In duplo is a historical legal term meaning "in double" or "twofold." It refers to something being present, created, or imposed in two identical instances, or to a quantity being multiplied by two.

Here are some examples illustrating the application of "in duplo":

• Imagine a historical statute designed to deter fraud against the government. If a contractor was found to have overcharged the state by $5,000, the law might have stipulated that the contractor would be liable for damages "in duplo."

  This means the contractor would not only have to repay the original $5,000 but would also be required to pay an additional $5,000, totaling $10,000, as a punitive measure. This illustrates "in duplo" as a penalty that is exactly double the original amount of harm or gain.

• In the past, when formal legal documents like property deeds or wills were drafted, it was common practice for them to be prepared "in duplo." This meant that two identical, original copies of the document were created and signed by all parties involved.

  For instance, if a land sale occurred, both the buyer and the seller would each receive an original, signed deed. This ensured that both parties held an equally authoritative and legally binding record of the transaction, demonstrating "in duplo" as the creation of two identical legal instruments.

• Consider an old municipal ordinance concerning public works. If a private company was contracted to repair a road and failed to complete the work by the deadline, the contract might have included a clause stating that the company would forfeit its performance bond "in duplo" if the delay was due to negligence.

  If the performance bond was $20,000, the company would lose $40,000 due to their negligent delay. This example shows "in duplo" applying to a forfeiture or penalty amount, making it twice the original stipulated sum.