Legal Definitions - de coronatore exonerando

de coronatore exonerando is a historical legal term from Law Latin, referring to a specific type of formal written order, known as a writ, issued by a sovereign or high court. This writ commanded the sheriff to remove a coroner from their public office. The writ would always specify a particular reason for the removal, ensuring that such an action was taken only for a legally recognized cause.

Here are some examples illustrating how this writ would have been applied:

• Example 1: Incompatible Office

  Imagine a situation in 18th-century England where a sitting county coroner, Mr. Arthur Davies, was subsequently elected to the position of sheriff for the same county. At the time, these two offices were considered incompatible due to potential conflicts of interest and the demanding nature of both roles.

  In this scenario, a de coronatore exonerando writ would be issued. It would order the sheriff (who would then be Mr. Davies himself, or the previous sheriff if the writ was issued before he took office as sheriff) to remove Mr. Davies from his coroner position, citing his new, incompatible role as the reason. This ensured that the integrity and proper functioning of both offices were maintained.

• Example 2: Incapacitation by Illness

  Consider a long-serving coroner, Mrs. Eleanor Vance, who, after many years of dedicated service, suffered a severe stroke that left her permanently unable to perform the duties of her office, such as investigating deaths and overseeing inquests, for an extended period.

  A de coronatore exonerando writ would be issued in this case. The writ would state Mrs. Vance's incapacitation due to illness as the reason, compelling her removal from office so that a new, capable coroner could be appointed to ensure the vital public service continued without interruption.

• Example 3: Lack of Qualification (Historical Context)

  In a historical context, a coroner was often required to possess a certain amount of land or property within the county to ensure their financial independence and local connection. Suppose Mr. John Finch, a coroner, fell into financial hardship and had to sell off most of his estate, leaving him with less property than legally required for the office, or he moved his primary residence to an entirely different county.

  A de coronatore exonerando writ would be issued to remove Mr. Finch from his position. The writ would specify that he no longer met the property qualification or residency requirement for holding the office, thereby necessitating his removal to uphold the legal standards for public officials of that era.