MODERATOR. A person appointed to preside at a popular meeting; sometimes he is called a chairman.

MODIFICATION¹. A change; as the modification of a contract. This may take place at the time of making the contract by a condition, which shall have that effect; for example, if I sell you one thousand bushels of corn, upon condition that any crop shall produce that much, aud it produces only eight hundred bushels, the contract is modified, it is for eight hundred bushels, and no more.

12. It may be modified by the consent of both parties, after it has been made. See 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 733.

MODO ET FORMA, pleading. In manner and form. These words are used in tendering an issue in a civil case.

2. Their legal effect is to put in issue all material circumstances and no other, they may therefore be always used with safety.

3. These words are sometimes of the substance of the issue and sometimes merely words of form. When they are of the substance of the issue, they put in issue the circumstances alleged² as concomitants of the principal matter denied by the pleader, such as time, place, manner, &c. When not of the substance of the issue they do not put in issue such circumstances. Bac. Ab. Plea, G 1; Lawes' Pl. 120; Hardr. 39. To determine when they are of the substance of the issue and when not so, the established criterion is, that when the circumstances of manner, time, place, &c. alleged in connexion with the principal fact traversed, are originally and, in themselves material, and therefore necessary to be proved as stated, the words modo et forma are of the substance of the issue, and do, consequently, put those concomitants in issue; but that when such concomitants or circumstances are not in themselves material, and therefore not necessary to be proved as stated, the words modo et forma, are not of the substance of the issue, and consequently do not put them in issue. Lawes on Pl. 120; and see Gould, Pl. c. 6, 22; Steph. Pl. 213; Dane's Ab. Index, h. t.; Kitch. 232. See Bac. Ab. Verdict, P; Vin. Ab. Modo et Forma.

MODUS, civil law. Manlier³; means; way.

MODUS, eccl. law. Where there is by custom a particular manner of tithing allowed, different from the general law of taking tithes⁴ in kind, as a pecuniary⁵ compensation, or the performance of labor⁶, or when any means are adopted by which the general law of tithing is altered, and a new method of taking them is introduced, it is called a modus decimandi, or special manner of taking tithes. 2 Bl. Com. 29.

MOHATRA, French law. The name of a fraudulent contract, made to cover a usurious loan of money.

2. It takes place when an individual buys merchandise from another oil a credit at a high price, to sell it immediately to the first seller, or to a third person, who acts as his agent, at a much less price for cash. 16 Toull. n. 44; 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 1118.