Legal Definitions - vis

In legal contexts, vis is a Latin term that generally refers to two distinct concepts:

1. Force, Violence, or Disturbance: This refers to any application of physical power, aggression, or significant disruption directed at a person or property. It often implies an unlawful or unauthorized exertion of power that infringes upon rights or public order.
2. The Force of Law or Legal Validity: In this sense, vis describes the binding power, authority, or legal effect of a law, contract, or judicial decision. If something has vis in this context, it means it is legally valid, enforceable, and carries legal weight.

Examples:

• Example 1 (Force/Violence): During a heated public demonstration, a small group of individuals began to throw objects at storefronts and engage in physical altercations with bystanders. The police report described these actions as involving significant vis, leading to arrests for property damage and assault.

  Explanation: This example illustrates the first meaning of vis, where physical force, violence, and disturbance were directed at both property (storefronts) and persons (bystanders), disrupting public order and resulting in unlawful acts.

• Example 2 (Force/Violence): A landlord discovered that a former tenant had forcibly broken the lock on a storage unit after eviction to retrieve belongings, causing damage to the property. The landlord pursued legal action, citing the tenant's use of vis to unlawfully access and damage the unit.

  Explanation: Here, vis refers to the physical force used by the tenant to unlawfully enter the storage unit and cause damage, directly relating to the first meaning of unauthorized force against property.

• Example 3 (Force of Law): After extensive debate, the legislature passed a new environmental protection act. Once signed into law by the executive, the act was declared to "have vis," meaning its provisions were now legally binding on all citizens and corporations within the jurisdiction.

  Explanation: This example demonstrates the second meaning of vis. The new environmental act, by "having vis," signifies that it possesses the full legal authority and enforceability of a valid law, making its requirements mandatory.