Does anyone remember when the Iran/Contra Affair was on TV? How Reagan, when questioned about it, kept saying that he did not 'recall' the details when questioned about something?
It seems that officials, when being questioned about things and they don't want to incriminate themselves, always use the word 'recall' as in 'I don't recall'. So, thinking that was just a little bit odd, I looked up that definition in Black's Law 9th Ed. Here is what it says:
'''recall, n. (1902) 1. Removal of a public official from office
by popular vote. [Cases: Officers and Public Employees
70.7.] 2. A manufacturer's request to consumers for
the return of defective products for repair or replace
ment. [Cases: Insurance (;::::>2278(24); Products Liability
144.] 3. Revocation of a judgment for factual or
legal reasons. recall, vb.'''
So the only definition that seems to apply is number 3. But only just. It must be referring to a judgement call by the accuser.
The definition of revocation is as follows:
'''revocation (rev-a-kay-sh<ln), n. (15c) 1. An annulment,
cancellation, or reversal, usu. of an act or power. 2.
Contracts. Withdrawal of an offer by the offeror. Cf.
REPUDIATION (2); RESCISSION; REJECTION (1). [Cases:
Contracts 19; Sales C::22(2), 23(2).] 3. Wills &
estates. Invalidation of a will by the testator, either by
destroying the will or by executing a new one .• A will,
or parts of a will, may be revoked by operation of law.
For example, most states have a statute providing for
the revocation, upon divorce, ofall provisions relating
to the testator's former spouse. [Cases: Wills C=167
195.] - revoke, vb.'''