In Spanish law. The in-stltution and prosecution of a snit from its commencement nntll definitive judgment The first instance, “primcra instaneia" is the prosecution of the suit before the judge competent to take cognizance of It at its In-ception; the second instance, “secunda in-atancia,” is the exercise of the same action before the court of appellate jurisdiction; and the third instance, “tcrcera inatancia,” is the prosecution of the same suit, either by an application of revision before the appellate tribunal that has already decided tbe cause, or before some higher tribunal, hav-lng jurisdlction of the same. Escriche
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
