Legal Definitions - a responsis

A responsis refers to an individual or an office primarily tasked with formulating and delivering official responses, conveying messages, or acting as a spokesperson on behalf of a higher authority or institution. It denotes a role centered on communication and the authoritative articulation of replies.

• Historical Diplomatic Role: In historical ecclesiastical diplomacy, an envoy sent by the Pope to an imperial court might have been described as a responsis. This individual's primary duty was to convey the Pope's official decisions, directives, and answers to the emperor's inquiries, effectively acting as the Pope's voice and ensuring that all communications were properly delivered and received.

  This illustrates a responsis because the envoy was specifically designated to provide authoritative responses and communications on behalf of the Pope, fulfilling a critical role in official dialogue.

• Modern Government Spokesperson: Consider the role of a White House Press Secretary. During daily briefings, the Press Secretary is responsible for delivering the administration's official stance, answering questions from journalists, and conveying the President's messages on various policy matters. They are the designated individual to provide the government's responses to public and media inquiries.

  Here, the Press Secretary functions as a responsis, as their core responsibility is to articulate and deliver the official responses and statements of the executive branch to the public and press.

• Corporate Communications Director: When a major corporation faces a public relations crisis, the Director of Corporate Communications often steps forward as the primary contact. This director is tasked with drafting official statements, responding to media inquiries, and managing all external communications regarding the crisis, ensuring that the company's official position is clearly and consistently communicated.

  This scenario exemplifies a responsis because the Communications Director is the designated authority for providing the company's official responses and managing its public messaging during a critical period.