LARGE. Broad; extensive; unconfined. The opposite of strict, narrow, or confined. At large, at liberty.

LAS PARTIDAS. The name of a code of Spanish law; sometimes called las siete partidas, or the seven parts, from the number of its principal divisions. It is a compilation¹ from the civil law, the customary law of Spain, and the canon law. Such of its provisions is are applicable are in force in Louisiana, Florida, and Texas.

LASCIVIOUS² CARRIAGE, law of Connecticut. An offence, ill defined, created by statute³, which enacts⁴ that every person who shall be guilty of lascivious carriage and behaviour, and shall be thereof duly convicted, shall be punished by fine, not exceeding ten dollars, or by imprisonment⁵ in a common gaol⁶, not exceeding two months, or by fine and imprisonment, or both, at the discretion⁷ of the court. This law was passed at a very early period. Though indefinite in its terms, it has received a construction so limiting it, that it may be said to punish those wanton acts between persons of different sexes, who are not married to each other, that flow from the exercise of lustful⁸ passions, and which are not otherwise punished as crimes against chastity and public decency⁹. 2 Swift's Dig. 343; 2 Swift's Syst. 331.

2. Lascivious carriage may consist not only in mutual¹⁰ acts of wanton and indecent familiarity between persons of different sexes, but in wanton and indecent actions against the will, and without the consent of one of them, as if a man should forcibly attempt to pull up the clothes of a woman. 5 Day, 81.

LAST RESORT. A court of last resort, is one which decides, definitely, without appeal or writ¹¹ of error, or any other examination whatever, a suit or action, or some other matter, which has been submitted to its judgment¹², and over which it has jurisdiction¹³.

2. The supreme¹⁴ court is a court of last resort in all matters which legally come before it; and whenever a court possesses the power to decide without appeal or other examination whatever, a subject matter submitted to it, it is a court of last resort; but this is not to be understood as preventing an examination into its jurisdiction, or excess of authority, for then the judgment of a superior does not try and decide so much whether the point decided¹⁵ has been so done according to law, as to try the authority of the inferior court.