Proper behaviour; good order. 420 DEC DED 2. — Decorum is requisite in public places, in order to permit nil persons to enjoy their rights ; for example, de- corum is indispensable in church, to enable those assembled to worship. If, therefore, a person were to dist…
What is Decorum?
good order.
420
DEC
DED
2. — Decorum is requisite in public
places, in order to permit nil persons
to enjoy their rights ; for example, de-
corum is indispensable in church, to
enable those assembled to worship. If,
therefore, a person were to disturb the
congregation, it would l»e lawful to put
him out. The same might be done in
case of a funeral. 1 Mod. 108 ; 1
Lev. 190; 2 Kebl. 124. But a re-
quest to desist should be first made,
unless, indeed, when the necessity of
the case would render such precaution
impossible. In using force to restore
order and decorum, care must be taken
to use no more than is necessary ; for
any excess will render the party using
it guilty of an assault and battery.
Vide Battery.
Why Decorum matters
Decorum appears in U.S. legal practice across multiple practice areas. Knowing what it means — and when it applies — can determine the outcome of motions, filings, and negotiations. For non-lawyers, the value of looking up a precise definition is that legal terms often carry meanings that differ from everyday usage; relying on the common meaning can lead to costly missteps.
How Decorum works in practice
In practice, Decorum is invoked when parties, judges, or attorneys need to identify the legal status of an issue, the rights of those involved, or the procedural step required next. The definition shown above is sourced from Bouvier's Law Dictionary (1856) , which is widely cited in U.S. legal practice. Because U.S. law is jurisdictionally layered — federal, state, and sometimes local — the precise application of the term can vary by court, so check the controlling authority for your specific case.