Legal Definitions - box

Term: box

In historical English and Scots law, the verb "to box" referred to the act of formally submitting a document or paper to a court of law for official record and consideration. It essentially meant to file a legal document with the court.

Here are some examples illustrating this historical legal term:

• Example 1: Before a significant land dispute could proceed, the plaintiff'ssolicitor had to box the formal complaint, detailing the boundaries and claims, with the local court clerk.

  Explanation 1: In this scenario, "to box" refers to the solicitor's action of officially submitting the written complaint to the court, initiating the legal process for the land dispute.

• Example 2: When a merchant was accused of failing to pay a debt, his legal representative was instructed to promptly box the written defense, outlining the reasons for non-payment and any counterclaims, to ensure it was received by the court before the deadline.

  Explanation 2: Here, "to box" describes the act of the legal representative formally filing the defense document with the court, making it part of the official case record.

• Example 3: During a criminal trial, a witness who could not appear in person was required to have their sworn statement, or affidavit, boxed with the court by their attorney, so that it could be considered as evidence.

  Explanation 3: This example illustrates "to box" as the process of officially submitting the affidavit to the court, ensuring the witness's statement was formally recorded and available for the proceedings.