- majority
- Full age; legal age; age at which a person is no longer a minor. The age at which, by law, a person is capable of being legally responsible for all his or her acts (e.g. contractual obligations), and is entitled to the management of his or her own affairs and to the enjoyment of civic rights (e.g. right to vote). The opposite of minority. Also the status of a person who is a major in age.See adult- capacity- legal age.The greater number. The number greater than half of any total@ majority of qualified electorsRefers to those who actually vote on election day. Harris v. Baden, 154 Fla. 373, 17 So.2d 608, 609.See majority rule- majority vote@ majority opinionThe opinion of an appellate court in which the majority of its members join. May also refer to a view of a legal principle in which most jurisdictions concur.See also opinion@ majority ruleRule by the choice of the majority of those who actually vote, irrespective of whether a majority of those entitled participate. N. L. R. B. v. Standard Lime & Stone Co., C.C.A.Va., 149 F.2d 435, 437.See also majority vote@ majority stockholderOne who owns or controls more than 50 percent of the stock of a corporation, though effective control may be maintained with far less than 50 percent if most of the stock is widely held. In close corporation, majority shareholders may owe fiduciary, partner-like duties to minority shareholders.See Donahue v. Rodd Electrotype Co. of N.E., Inc., 367 Mass. 578, 328 N.E.2d 505@ majority voteVote by more than half of voters for candidate or other matter on ballot. When there are only two candidates, he who receives the greater number of the votes cast is said to have a majority; when there are more than two competitors for the same office, the person who receives the greatest number of votes has a plurality, but he has not a majority unless he receives a greater number of votes than those cast for all his competitors combined. As regards voting by stockholders, means majority per capita when the right to vote is per capita, and a majority of stock when each share of stock is entitled to a vote, each particular case being determined by provisions of charter regulating voting. Simon Borg & Co. v. New Orleans City R. Co., D.C.La., 244 F. 617, 619@
Black's law dictionary. HENRY CAMPBELL BLACK, M. A.. 1990.
