CONSPIRATORS1. Persons guilty of a conspiracy2. See 3 Bl. Com. 126-71 Wils. Rep. 210-11. See Conspiracy.
CONSTABLE3. An officer, who is generally elected by the people.
2. He possess power, virture officii, as a conservator of the peace at common law, and by virtue4 of various legislative5 enactments6; he. way therefore apprehend7 a supposed offender8 without a warrant, as treason, felony, breach9 of the peace, and for some misdemeanors Iess than felony, when committed in his view. 1 Hale, 587; 1 East, P. C. 303 8 Serg. & Rawle, 47. He may also arrest a supposed offender upon the informatiou of others but he does so at his peril10, unless he can show that a felony has been committed by some person, as well as the reasonableness of the suspicion that the party arrested is guilty. 1 Chit. Cr. L. 27; 6 Binn. R. 316; 2 Hale, 91, 92 1 East, P. C. 301. He has power to call others to his assistance; or he may appoint a deputy to do ministerial acts. 3 B urr. Rep. 1262.
3. A constable is also a ministerial officer, bound to obey the warrants and precepts11 of justices, coroners, and sheriffs. Constables12 are also in some states bound to execute the warrants and process of justices of the peace in civil cases.
4. In England, they have many officers, with more or less power, who bear the name of constables; as, lord high constable of England, high constable 3 Burr. 1262 head constables, petty constables, constables of castles, constables of the tower, constables of the fees, constable of the exchequer13, constable of the staple14, &c.
5. In some of the cities of the United States there are officers who are called high constables, who are the principal police officers where they reside. Vide the various Digests of American Law, h. t.; 1 Chit. Cr. L. 20; 5 Vin. Ab. 427; 2 Phil. Ev. 253 2 Sell. Pr. 70; Bac. Ab. h. t.; Com. Dig. Justices of the Peace, B 79; Id. D 7; Id, Officer, E 2; Wille. Off. Const.
CONSTABLEWICK. In England, by this word is meant the territorial15 jurisdiction16 of a constable. 5 Nev. & M. 261.
CONSTAT, English law. The name of a certificate, which the clerk of the pipe and auditors17 of the exchequer make at the request of any person who intends to plead or move in the court for the discharge of anything; and the effect of it is, the certifying18 what constat (appears) upon record touching19 the matter in question.
2. A constat is held to be superior to an ordinary certificate, because it contains nothing but what is on record. An exemplification under the great seal, of the enrolment of any letters-patent, is called a constat. Co. Litt. 225. Vide Exemplification; Inspeximus.
3. Whenever an officer gives a certificate that such a thing appears of record, it is called a constat; because the officer does not say that the fact is so, but it appears to be as he certifies20. A certificate that it appears to the officer that a judgment21 has been entered, &c., is insufficient22. 1 Hayw. 410.