Presumption

Presumption, an inference drawn by the law in certain circumstances, and used to start an argument. A person who has possession of goods is presumed to be the owner till the contrary is proved. A man is presumed to be innocent till the contrary is proved. The law of England presumes that any one who has not been heard of for seven years is dead. By an act of 1881 for Scotland the heir of a person who has disappeared for seven years may obtain authority to uplift the annual income, and thirteen years later may obtain full possession of the heritable estate of the person presumed to be dead; for securing full right to inherit and dispose of movable estate, the person must be dead for fourteen years.