Legal Definitions - astipulation

The term astipulation refers to an agreement or assent. It is considered an archaic term, meaning it is no longer commonly used in modern legal or everyday language, but it historically signified a formal understanding or acceptance between parties.

Here are some examples to illustrate its meaning:

• Example 1: Historical Land Dispute Resolution
  Imagine two neighboring landowners in 18th-century England who had a long-standing disagreement over the exact boundary between their estates. After extensive discussions and negotiations, they finally reached a mutual understanding and formally agreed to mark a new stone pillar to delineate the agreed-upon line. Their shared acceptance and formal recognition of this new boundary constituted an astipulation.

  This example illustrates astipulation as the formal agreement or assent reached by the landowners to resolve their dispute and establish a clear boundary.

• Example 2: Medieval Guild Membership
  Consider a young apprentice in a medieval carpentry guild who, upon completing his rigorous training, sought to become a master craftsman. To achieve this, he had to present a complex masterwork and gain the unanimous approval of the guild elders, signifying their acceptance of his skill and his adherence to the guild's high standards. The guild elders' collective approval and acceptance of the apprentice's work and his entry into master status would have been considered an astipulation.

  Here, astipulation represents the formal assent and agreement of the guild elders to the apprentice's new standing within the craft.

• Example 3: Colonial Town Council Decision
  In a colonial American town, the town council held a lengthy debate about whether to fund the construction of a new public well. After a vote, the majority of the council members formally agreed to allocate the necessary funds and proceed with the project, recording their decision in the town's minutes. The council members' collective agreement and formal approval to move forward with the well project represented an astipulation.

  This scenario demonstrates astipulation as the shared assent and formal agreement of the council members to a proposed action or decision.