Legal Definitions - abarnare

Abarnare is a historical legal term that refers to the act of detecting or disclosing a secret crime or wrongdoing, and subsequently bringing the matter or the perpetrator to legal judgment or scrutiny.

It encompasses both the revelation of a concealed act and the initiation of a process to address it legally, often implying that the crime was previously hidden or unknown to authorities.

• Example 1: In a medieval village, a series of livestock thefts had plagued the community for months, with no one knowing who was responsible. A local farmer, through careful investigation and observation, eventually discovered a hidden pen where the stolen animals were kept and identified the culprit. By revealing this secret operation and the identity of the thief to the village elder, the farmer performed an act of abarnare, bringing the hidden crime to light for judgment.

• Example 2: During a period of political intrigue in a feudal kingdom, a loyal courtier uncovered a clandestine plot by several rival nobles to assassinate the king. The courtier meticulously gathered evidence of their secret meetings and plans, then presented this information directly to the king's council. This act of exposing the hidden treasonous conspiracy and initiating its legal prosecution against the plotters is an illustration of abarnare.

• Example 3: Imagine an early common law court where a serious assault had occurred, but the perpetrator had managed to escape and remain unidentified for a long time. Years later, a former accomplice, now seeking redemption, came forward and provided detailed testimony about the assault and the identity of the attacker, information that had been kept secret from the authorities. The accomplice's testimony, by disclosing the previously hidden crime and enabling the court to pursue justice, exemplifies the historical concept of abarnare.