STALE DEMAND. A stale demand is a claim which has been for a long time undemanded; as, for example, where there his been a delay of twelve years, unexplained. 3 Mason, 161.

STAMP, revenue. An impression made on paper, by order of the government, which must be used in reducing certain contracts to writing, for The purpose of raising a revenue. Vide Stark. Ev. h. t.; 1 Phil. Ev. 444.

2. Maryland is the only state in the United States that has enacted a stamp.

TO STAND. To abide by a thing; to submit to a decision; to comply with an agreement; to have validity, as the judgment must stand.

STAND SEISED TO USES. This phrase is frequently used in relation to conveyances under the statute of uses. A covenant to stand seised to uses is a species of conveyance which derives its effect from the statute of uses, by which a man, seised of lands, covenants, in consideration of blood or marriage, that he will stand seised of the same, to the use of his child, wife, or kinsman, for life, in tail or in fee. 2 Bouv. Inst. n. 2080.

STANDARD, in war. An ensign or flag used in war.

STANDARD, measure. A weight or measure of certain dimensions, to which all other weights and measures must correspond; as, a standard bushel. Also the quality of certain metals, to which all others of the same kind ought to be made to conform; as, standard gold, standard silver. Vide Dollar; Eagle; Money.

STAPLE, intern. law. The right of staple as exercised by a people upon foreign merchants, is defined to be, that they may not allow them to set their merchandises and wares to sale but in a certain place.

2. This practice is not in use in the United States. 1 Chit. Com. Law, 103; 4 Inst. 238; Malone, Lex Mere. 237; Bac. Ab. Execution, B 1. Vide Statute Staple.

STAR CHAMBER, Eng. law. A court which formerly had great jurisdiction and power, but which was abolished by stat. 16, C. I., c. 10, on account of its usurpations and great unpopularity. It consisted of several of the lords spir-itual and temporal, being privy counsellors, together with two judges of the courts of common law, without the intervention of a jury. Their legal jurisdiction extended over riots, perjuries, mishehaviour of public officers, and other great misdemeanors. The judges afterwards assumed powers, and stretched those they possessed to the utmost bounds of legality. 4 Bl. Com. 264.