Legal Definitions - concussio

Concussio is a term from Roman law that describes the offense of coercing someone to hand over money or valuable items by threatening them with physical harm or violence. In some modern civil-law systems, this concept is sometimes referred to by its anglicized form, "concussion."

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of concussio:

• Imagine a local gang leader approaching a small business owner and demanding a weekly "protection fee." The leader doesn't explicitly state they will physically harm the owner, but they make veiled threats about "unfortunate incidents" that tend to befall businesses that don't comply, clearly implying violence or property damage if the money is not paid. This scenario exemplifies concussio because the business owner is compelled to give money due to the implied threat of violence.

• Consider a situation where a corrupt government official, responsible for approving construction permits, informs a developer that their project will face "severe and violent disruptions" unless a significant "expediting fee" is paid directly to the official. The developer understands this to mean that physical force will be used to obstruct their work or harm their equipment if they refuse. This is an instance of concussio because the official is extorting money by threatening physical interference and potential violence.

• Picture a disgruntled former employee, known for a history of aggressive behavior, contacting their previous manager and threatening that "bad things will happen" to the manager's family if a large sum of money is not transferred to them immediately. This situation demonstrates concussio as the former employee is attempting to extort money from the manager through direct threats of violence against their family.