Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Brevia formata refers to short legal documents called "brevia" that were used in the past instead of longer charters. The word "brevis" means "short" in Latin. Brevia were often blank or open, meaning they were not sealed, and were used for various legal purposes. For example, a "breve de bono et malo" was a writ used to investigate a crime, while a "breve de conventione" was a writ used to enforce a contract.
Definition: Brevia formata refers to short writs used in legal documents, unlike charters. The term "brevis" means "short." Brevia formata were often used in place of longer documents.
Examples:
The examples illustrate how brevia formata were used in different legal situations. For instance, an album breve was a blank writ that could be filled in later, while an apertum breve was an unsealed writ that could be read by anyone. The breve de bono et malo was used to determine whether an act was done with good or bad intentions, while the breve de conventione was used to enforce a contract.