Also known as:domi · domum · domos · house · home · domicile
Written by attorneys — see sources below.
A house or abode.
See Our Sources· 36 primary sources
Cases
Statutes
How its tested
Common Examples
6
Robbery from the Dwelling
Destiny Davis enters Damian Decker's domus and demands cash while holding a knife to his throat. The immediate threat of serious injury satisfies the force element. The taking occurs from within the domus itself.
Legislative Authority over Homes
Dolores Diaz owns a domus in a district represented by a member of the House. Congress passes a statute regulating safety standards for such structures. The law draws its force from the vesting of legislative power in the Senate and House.
Corporate Contacts and the Home Forum
Delta Dynamics maintains its principal place of business in State I, where its officers direct operations from a domus-like headquarters building. A plaintiff sues the company in State J over an unrelated claim. The court finds no general jurisdiction because the corporation is at home only in State I.
Dorothy Daniels and her child have lived in their domus in State A for eight months before the custody proceeding begins. State A qualifies as the home state under the statute. The court therefore possesses initial jurisdiction to decide custody.
Maintenance When Unable to Work
Diego Duarte cares for a disabled child inside the family domus and cannot accept outside employment. After divorce, the court awards maintenance because the custodian's circumstances make employment inappropriate.
Homestead Allowance Offset
Demetrius Douglas receives the family domus through a constitutional homestead right as surviving spouse. The probate court charges the value of that right against his separate homestead allowance under the statute.
3 common questions
Students Frequently Ask...
What does domus mean in legal usage?
Domus refers to a house or abode. The term appears in common-law definitions of offenses against habitation.
Does a threat to burn the domus satisfy the intimidation element of robbery?
Yes. A threat to destroy the victim's dwelling house meets the requirement when the defendant relies on intimidation.
Supporting sources
How does the location of property inside a domus affect the presence element?
Property in other rooms of the same house counts as taken from the victim's presence when the victim is inside the domus.
Supporting sources
5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 137 (1803)
…other citizen. It provides that he shall receive from the President all bills, orders, resolutions and votes of the Senate and House which have been approved and signed, cause them to be published and distributed, carefully preserve the originals and cause them to be recorded. It provides for the seal of the United…