superior

Superior

One who has a right to give orders; belonging to a higher grade.

A superior is someone or something entitled to command, influence, or control. In the judicial system, a superior court has general or extensive jurisdiction, as opposed to an inferior court. A superior court bears a different meaning in different states. In some states, it is a tribunal of intermediate jurisdiction between the trial courts and the chief appellate court; in other states, however, it is the name given to trial courts.

In the law of Negligence, a superior force is an uncontrollable and irresistible force that produces results that could not be avoided.

In real property, a holder of a superior estate has an Easement, or a nonpossessory interest in land, in an inferior estate.

West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

superior

in feudal law, the person from whom a person lower in the feudal chain holds his land.

Collins Dictionary of Law © W.J. Stewart, 2006

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 dominant, and the other the inferior or servient estate. 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 1612.
     3. Of courts, some are supreme or superior, possessing in general appellate jurisdiction, either by writ of error or by appeal; 3 Bouv. Inst. n. 2527; the others are called inferior courts.

A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States. By John Bouvier. Published 1856.