Legal Definitions - forejudger

The term forejudger is a historical legal concept referring to a formal judgment or court order that had severe consequences for an individual.

Specifically, a forejudger was a legal pronouncement that either:

• Permanently deprived a person of a specific right, property, or privilege they previously held.
• Resulted in a person's expulsion or banishment from a particular place, community, or organization.

Essentially, it was a definitive legal decision that took something significant away from an individual, often leading to a loss of status, livelihood, or belonging.

Examples of a Forejudger:

• Example 1: Deprivation of Feudal Rights

  Imagine a medieval knight who, due to repeated acts of disloyalty to his liege lord, was subjected to a forejudger. This judgment might strip him of his feudal rights to a specific manor, meaning he would permanently lose ownership and control over that land, as well as the income and status associated with it.

  This illustrates a forejudger as a judgment that deprives a person of a thing (the manor and its associated rights), effectively taking away their property and privilege.

• Example 2: Expulsion from a Guild

  Consider a craftsman in a historical guild who was found guilty of consistently producing shoddy work or violating the guild's strict codes of conduct. A forejudger could be issued against him, expelling him from the guild. This would mean he could no longer legally practice his trade within that community or city, severely impacting his ability to earn a living.

  Here, the forejudger acts as a judgment of expulsion or banishment from a professional community, removing the individual's right to practice their trade within that specific structure.

• Example 3: Loss of Tenancy

  In a historical context, if a tenant farmer on a lord's estate repeatedly failed to pay their agreed-upon rent or perform their required labor services, a forejudger could be issued. This judgment would legally remove their right to live on and cultivate their plot of land, forcing them to leave the estate and find new means of support.

  This example demonstrates a forejudger as a judgment that deprives a person of a thing (their tenancy and the right to use the land), leading to their effective removal from a specific living and working arrangement.