ARTICLES (Lat. articulus, artus, a joint). Divisions of a written or printed document or agreement.
fspecification of distinct matters agreed upon or established by authority or requiring judicial action.
The fundamental idea of an article is that of an object comprising some integral part of a complex whole. See Worcester, Diet. The term may be applied, for example, to a single complete question in a series of interrogatories; the statement of the undertakings and liabilities of the various parties to an agreement in any given event, where several contingencies are provided for in the same agfee ment; a statement of a variety of powers secured to a branch of government by a constitution ; a state ment of particular regulations in reference to one general subject of legislation in a system of laws; and in many other instances resembling these in principle. It is also used in the plural of the sub ject made up of these separate and related articles, as, articles of agreement, articles of war, the dif ferent divisions generally having, however, some relation to eaoh other, though not necessarily a de pendence upon each other.
2. In Chancery Practice. A formal written statement of objections to the credi bility of witnesses in a tause in chancery, filed by a party to the proceedings after the depositions have been taken and published.
The object of articles is to enable the party filing them to introduce evidence to discredit the witnesses to whom the objections apply, where it is too late to do so in any other manner, 2 Daniell, Chanc. Pract. 1158, and to apprize the party whose witnesses are ob jected to of the nature of the objections, that he may be prepared to meet them. 2 Daniell, Chanc. Pract. 1159.
Upon filing the articles, a special order is obtained to take evidence. 2 Dick. Ch. 532.
The interrogatories must be so shaped as not to call for evidence which applies directly to facts in issue in the case. 2 Sumn. C. C. 316, 605; 3 Johns. Ch. N. Y. 558; 10 Yes. Ch. 49. The objections can be taken only to the credit and not to the competency of the witnesses, 3 Atk. Ch. 643; 3 Johns. Ch. N. Y. 558; and the court are to hear all the evidence read and judge of its value. 2 Ves. Ch. 219. See, generally, 2 Daniell, Chanc. Pract. 1158 et seq. ; 10 Ves. Ch. 49: 19 id. 127 ; 2 Ves. & B. Ch. 267 ; 1 Sim. & S. Ch. 467.
In Ecclesiastical Law. A complaint in the form of a libel exhibited to an ecclesias tical court.
In Scotch Law. Matters; business. Bell, Diet.