Parens in United Kingdom

Meaning of Parens (Latin Term)

The following is an old definition of Parens (latin term) [1]: A parent; a father. In loco parentis. In the place of the parent. Said of a person invested with the rights and charged with the duties of the parent of a child, as, a guardian,and, in some sense, a teacher, and the faculty of a school.61 Parens patriae. Father of the country. In England, the sovereign; in the United States, the state. The sovereign is, theoretically, guardian over all infants and committee over all lunatics. As much of the royal prerogative as belonged to the king in his capacity of universal trustee enters into our political state as into the principles of the British constitution.

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Notes and References

1. Concept of Parens (latin term) provided by the Anderson Dictionary of Law (1889) (Dictionary of Law consisting of Judicial Definitions and Explanations of Words, Phrases and Maxims and an Exposition of the Principles of Law: Comprising a Dictionary and Compendium of American and English Jurisprudence; William C. Anderson; T. H. Flood and Company, Law Publishers, Chicago, United States)