COMPURGATORIAL Meaning and
Definition
-
Compurgatorial refers to a legal or judicial process in which an accused person is allowed to prove their innocence by producing a specified number of sworn witnesses who would vouch for their character or testify to their moral integrity. This process, known as compurgation or trial by oath, was employed in various legal systems throughout history, particularly during the medieval period.
In a compurgatorial system, the accused individual, after being charged with a crime, would have the option to gather a group of reputable individuals, often referred to as compurgators, who would swear under oath that they believed in the defendant's innocence. The number of required compurgators and other specific conditions would vary depending on the jurisdiction and the severity of the alleged offense.
Compurgatorial systems were generally used in cases where there was a lack of direct evidence or when witnesses were considered more reliable than other types of proof. It was believed that the collective oaths of multiple trustworthy individuals would counterbalance the accusations and provide sufficient evidence of the accused's innocence.
Over time, compurgatorial systems became less common and were eventually replaced by other forms of evidence, such as witness testimony, documentary proof, and forensic investigation. However, the concept of compurgation played a significant role in shaping early legal systems and showcases the historical evolution of justice systems.
Common Misspellings for COMPURGATORIAL
- xompurgatorial
- vompurgatorial
- fompurgatorial
- dompurgatorial
- cimpurgatorial
- ckmpurgatorial
- clmpurgatorial
- cpmpurgatorial
- c0mpurgatorial
- c9mpurgatorial
- conpurgatorial
- cokpurgatorial
- cojpurgatorial
- comourgatorial
- comlurgatorial
- com-urgatorial
- com0urgatorial
- compyrgatorial
- comphrgatorial
- compjrgatorial
Etymology of COMPURGATORIAL
The word "compurgatorial" is derived from the Latin word "compurgatus", which is the past participle of "compurgare". "Compurgare" comes from the prefix "com", meaning "together", and "purgare", meaning "to purify" or "to clear".
In medieval Europe, this term specifically referred to a legal practice known as compurgation, which was a form of trial by oath. In compurgation, an accused person would defend themselves by seeking oaths of support from a group of individuals called compurgators. These compurgators were required to swear an oath, affirming that they believed the accused person's innocence. The more compurgators an individual could gather, the stronger their defense became.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
