Legal Definitions - innoxiare

The term innoxiare refers to a historical legal concept meaning to purge a person of fault. It describes the act or process of clearing an individual of wrongdoing, blame, or an accusation, thereby absolving them of any perceived or alleged transgression.

Here are a few examples illustrating how this term would have applied historically:

• Medieval Compurgation: Imagine a scenario in a medieval village where a person is accused of stealing grain. Instead of presenting physical evidence, the accused might undergo a process called compurgation. This involved gathering a specific number of respected community members (compurgators) who would swear an oath attesting to the accused's good character and belief in their innocence. If the compurgators successfully completed their oaths without faltering, the accused would be innoxiared – officially cleared of the theft accusation based on this historical legal procedure, effectively purging them of the fault.

• Royal Pardon or Amnesty: Consider a historical period where a group of individuals participated in a political uprising against a monarch. Years later, after the rebellion has been quelled and stability restored, the monarch might issue a royal decree granting general amnesty to all those involved, or specifically pardon certain individuals. This decree would serve to innoxiare the former rebels, officially purging them of the fault of treason or disloyalty, and allowing them to reintegrate into society without the lingering legal stain of their past actions.

• Ecclesiastical Absolution: In a historical church court, a member of the clergy might be accused of a minor canonical offense, such as neglecting their duties or engaging in inappropriate conduct. After a period of investigation, confession, and perhaps a prescribed penance, the ecclesiastical authority could formally declare the individual absolved of the transgression. This declaration would innoxiare the cleric, clearing them of the fault within the church's legal and moral framework and restoring their good standing.