OFFICE FOUND. By the common law of England, where the :Town is entitled, upon the occurrence of certain events, to take mossession of real or personal property previously belonging to a sub ject, the facts upon which the right accrues must be first ascertained :rye an inquisition or inquest of office. This inquiry is executed by some slicer of the crown, such as the eschcator, coroner, or sheriff, or by persons specially commissioned for the purpose, and the facts areascer tained by a jury of an indeterminate number, but consisting usually, though not necessarily, of twelve men. Such inquests were much inure frequent before the abolition of military, tenures, when inquisitions post tuortent were instituted upon the death of any of the tenants of the crown, to inquire of what lands he died possessed, and of other [natters tending to establish the right of the lord respecting the pro perty of the deceased. (June.] When an inquisition of this kind has
been executed and returned, it is said to be ems office found. ll'hus where treasure has been discovered under circumstances which do not give it to the owner of the land, an inquest is held, and the crown, upon office found, takes it ; and where a person of illegitimate birth dies intestate, the sovereign (if he is the immediate lord of the fee), upon office found, is entitled to all his land : in the latter case however the land is generally granted again to some person or persons who can make out the most reasonable claim to it. So also the verdict of a jury upon a coroner's inquest, declaring a person to have died et fele de se, is an office found, upon which the crown becomes entitled to take possession of the property of the deceased.