CRETION, civil law.. The acceptance of a succession. Cretion was an act made 
before a magistrate, by which an instituted heir, who was required to accept 
of the succession within a certain time, declares within that time that he 
accepted the succession. Clef cles Lois Rom. h.t. 
     2. Cretion is also used to signify the term during which the heir is 
allowed to make his election to take or not to take the inheritance. It is 
so called, because the heir is allowed to see, cernere, examine, and decide. 
Gaii, lust. lib. 2, Sec. 164.