RELATION (Lat. re, back, Fero, to bear). In Civil Law. The report which the judges made of the proceedings in certain suits to the prince were so called.
These relations took place when the judge had no law to direct him, or when the laws were sus ceptible of difficulties ; it was then referred to the prince, who was the authbr of the law, to give the interpretation. They were made in writing, and contained the pleadings of the parties and all the proceedings, together with the judge's opinion, and prayed the emperor to order what should be done. This ordinance of the prince thus required was call ed, a rescript. Their use was abolished by Justinian, Nov. 125.
In Contracts. When an act is done at one time, and it operates upon the thing as if done at another time, it is said to do so by relation: as, if a man deliver a deed as an escrow, to be delivered, by the party holding it, to the grantor, on the performance of some act, the delivery to the latter will have relation back to the first delivery. Terms
de /a Ley. Again, if a partner be adjudged a bankrupt, the partnership is dissolved, and such dissolution relates back to the time when the commission issued ; 3 Kent 33. See Litt. 462 ; Johnson v. Stagg, 2 Johns. (N. Y.) 510; Jackson v. Dickenson, 15 Johns. (N. Y.) 309, 8 Am. Dec. 236 ; Hammond v. Warfield, 2 Harr. & J. (Md.) 151; FICTION.
This doctrine, like every other fiction, has its limitations ; its root must be planted in some antecedent, lawful right; U. S. v. R. Co., 142 Fed. 187; thus when an attachment was issued and levied without sufficient affi davit, an amended affidavit will relate back and uphold the levy; id.; Powers v. Hur mert, 51 Mo. 136.