Legal Definitions - de finibus levatis

de finibus levatis refers to a historical legal statute from medieval England that mandated the public announcement of any fines imposed by a court. This statute required that these levied fines be formally and solemnly read aloud in open court, ensuring transparency and public awareness of judicial penalties.

• Imagine a medieval English village where a local manor court is in session. A farmer, John, is found responsible for allowing his pigs to trespass and damage a neighbor's crops. The court imposes a fine on John. According to the principle of de finibus levatis, the court official would then stand before the assembled villagers and solemnly declare the exact amount of the fine levied against John, ensuring that the community was aware of the judgment and the penalty.

• Consider a bustling market town in the 14th century, where a royal assize court is hearing various cases. A guild master, Eleanor, is found guilty of violating trade regulations and is ordered to pay a significant fine. In adherence to de finibus levatis, the judge or a court clerk would publicly announce Eleanor's fine in the open courtroom, allowing all present—including other merchants and townspeople—to hear the details of the penalty imposed for her transgression.

• During a session of a borough court, which handled minor offenses and local disputes, a baker named Thomas is fined for selling underweight loaves of bread. To comply with the historical requirement of de finibus levatis, the court would not simply record the fine in a ledger. Instead, the specific fine amount and the reason for it would be formally proclaimed aloud to everyone attending the court proceedings, serving as both a public record and a deterrent.