Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Inquiry: A way of finding out information or asking questions. It can be used in different situations, like in international law to investigate facts, in parliament to ask about procedures, or in history to assess damages.
Definition: Inquiry refers to the process of seeking information or facts about a particular subject or situation. It can be used in different contexts such as international law, parliamentary law, and historical contexts.
In international law, inquiry refers to fact-finding. For example, a country may launch an inquiry to investigate allegations of human rights violations in another country.
In parliamentary law, inquiry refers to a request for information, either procedural or substantive. For instance, a member of parliament may make an inquiry to obtain information about a proposed bill or to clarify a parliamentary procedure.
In historical contexts, inquiry can refer to a writ to assess damages by the sheriff or sheriff's deputies. For example, in medieval England, a writ of inquiry was used to determine the amount of damages owed to a plaintiff in a civil case.
These examples illustrate how inquiry can be used in different contexts to seek information or facts about a particular subject or situation.