SUPERIOR. One who has a right to command; one who holds a superior rank; as, a soldier is bound to obey his superior. 2. In estates, some are superior to others; an estate entitled to a servitude or easement over another estate, is called the superior or dominant1, and the other the inferior or servient estate. 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 1612.
3. Of courts, some are supreme2 or superior, possessing in -general appellate jurisdiction3, either by writ4 of error or by appeal; 3 Bouv. Inst. n. 2527; the others are called inferior courts.
SUPERNUMERARII, Rom. civil law. From the reign5 of Constantine to Justinian, advocates were divided into two classes: viz. advocates in title, who were called statute6, and supernumeraries. The statutis were inscribed7 in the mat-riculation books, and formed a part of the college of advocates in each jurisdiction. The supernumeraries were not attached to any bar in particular, and could reside where, they pleased; they took the place of advocates by title, as vacancies8 occurred in that body. Code Justin., de adv. div. jud. c. 3, 11, 13; Calvini Lex, ad voc.; also Statuti.
SUPERSEDEAS, practice, actions. The name of a writ containing a command to stay the proceedings10 at law.
2. It is granted on good cause shown that the party ought not to proceed. F. N. B. 236. There are some writs11 which though they do not bear this name have the effect to supersede9 the proceedings, namely, a writ of error, when bail12 is entered, operates as a supersedeas, and a writ of certiorari to remove the proceedings of an inferior into a superior court has, in general, the same effect. 8 Mod. 373; 1 Barnes, 260; 6 Binn. R. 461. But, under special circumstances, the certiorari has not the effect to stay the proceedings, particularly where summary proceedings, as to obtain possession under the landlord and tenant13 law, are given by statute. 6 Binn. R. 460; 1 Yeates, R. 49; 4 Dall. R. 214; 1 Ashm. R. 230; Vide Vin. Ab. h. t.; Bac. Ab. h. t.; Com. Dig. h. t.; Yelv. R. 6, note.
SUPERSTITIOUS14 USE, English law. When lands, tenements15, rents, goods or chattels16 are given, secured or appointed for and toward the maintenance of a priest or chaplain to say mass; for the maintenance of a priest, or other man, to pray for the soul of any dead man, in such a church or elsewhere; to have and maintain perpetual obits, lamps, torches, &c., to be used at certain times to help to save the souls of men out of purgatory17; in such cases the king by force of several statutes18, is authorized19 to direct and appoint all such uses to such purposes as are truly charitable. Bac. Ab. Charitable Uses and Mortmain, D; Duke on Char20. Uses, 105; 6 Ves. 567; 4 Co. 104.
2. In the United States, where all religious opinions are free, and the right to exercise them is secured to the people, a bequest21 to support a catholic priest, aud perhaps certain other uses in England, would not in this country be considered as superstitious uses. 1 Pa. R. 49; 8 Penn. St. R. 327; 17 S. & R. 388; 1 Wash. 224. It is not easy to see how there can be a supersti-tious use in this country, at least in the acceptation of the British courts. 1 Watts22, 224; 4 Bouv. Inst. n. 3985.
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