Legal Definitions - defendemus

Definition: Defendemus (di-fen-də-məs) is a Latin term that means "we will defend." It was commonly used in conveyancing to require the donor and the donor's heirs to defend the donee against any attempted encumbrance not specifically agreed to. Although defendemus was not a warranty, it became part of the warranty clause "shall and will warrant and forever defend."

Example: If a person donates a piece of land to another person, they may use the term defendemus in the conveyancing documents to indicate that they will defend the donee against any claims or encumbrances that may arise in the future.

Explanation: The use of defendemus in the conveyancing documents ensures that the donor and their heirs will protect the donee's ownership rights to the property. This means that if anyone tries to make a claim on the property, the donor and their heirs will take legal action to defend the donee's ownership rights.