DILIGENCE. In Scotch Law. Pro cess. Execution.
Diligence against the heritage. A writ of execution by which the creditor proceeds against the real estate of the debtor.
Diligence incident. A writ or process for citing witnesses and examining havers. It is equivalent to the English subpoena for wit nesses and rule or order for examination of parties and for interrogatories.
Diligence to examine havers. A process to obtain testimony : equivalent to a bill of dis covery in chancery, or a rule to compel oral examination and a subpoena duces tecum at common law.
Diligence against the person. A writ of ex ecution by which the creditor proceeds against the person of the debtor : equivalent to the English ca. sa.
Second diligence. Second letters issued whore the ,first have been disregarded. A s.mtlar result is produced in English practice by the attachment for contempt.
Summary diligence. Diligence issued in a sum marymanner, like an execution of a war rant of attorney, cognovit actionem, and the like, in English practice.
Diligence aggin,.st witnesses. Process to com pel the attendance of witnesses: equivalent to the English subpoena. See Paterson, Comp.
DIME (Lat—decem, te,n). A silver spin of the United States, of the value of ten cents, or one-tenth of the dollar.
The act of 1792 provided for the coinage of " dismes, each to be of the value of one-tenth of a dollar, or unit, and to contain thirty-seven grains and two sixteenth-parts of a grain of pure, or forty one grains and three fifth-parts of a grain of stand ard, silver" (viz.: 892.4 thousandths One). See
Act of April 2, 1792, sect. 9, 1 U. S. Stat. at Tarp, 248. Dimes were first regularly issued from the mint in 1796. The standard fineness remained un changed until 1837, when it was altered to nine tenths,—nine parts to be of pure silver, and one of copper, the dime to weigh forty-one and one fourth grains. Act of Jan. 18, 1837, N 8, 9, 5 U. S. Stat. at Large, 137. The act of 1853 provided "That from and after the first day of June, eigh teen hundred and fifty-two [three], the weight of the half-dollar, or piece of fifty eenti, shall be one hundred and ninety-two grains, and the quarter dollar, dime, and half-dime shall be, respectively, ono-half, one-fifth, and one-tenth of the weight of said half-dollar." Aet of Feb. 21, 1853, 1, 2, 10 U. S. Stat. at Large, 160. The weight of the dime coined sines the passage of the last-cited act, con sequently, is 38.4 grains; and by the same net it is made a legal tender in payment of debts for all sums not exceeding five dollars.