Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: oyer
Definition: Oyer is a word that comes from Old French and means "to hear." In the past, it had a few different meanings. One was a type of criminal trial called a commission of oyer and terminer. Another was when someone demanded that a document, like a deed, be read aloud in court. Finally, it was also used in common-law pleading when someone asked for a copy of a document that their opponent was relying on. This was called demanding oyer. It was only allowed in certain situations and only for certain types of documents.