Legal Definitions - latrocination

Latrocination is an archaic legal term that refers to the act of robbing, plundering, or committing a theft. While rarely encountered in modern legal discourse, it broadly describes the unlawful taking of property from another, often implying an element of force, threat, or widespread depredation.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of latrocination:

• Imagine a historical scenario where a notorious bandit gang ambushes a royal tax collector's carriage on a desolate mountain pass, forcibly seizing the treasury chests. This act of violent interception and theft of property would be considered an instance of latrocination.

  This example demonstrates latrocination because it involves the forceful taking of property through an act of robbery, characteristic of the term's historical usage related to highway robbery and plunder.

• Consider a situation during a period of widespread social disorder where a group of individuals breaks into a deserted factory, systematically dismantling and stealing valuable machinery and raw materials over several nights. This organized and extensive removal of property constitutes a form of latrocination.

  This illustrates latrocination through the large-scale depredation and theft of assets, where property is unlawfully taken in a systematic manner, often without direct confrontation but with clear intent to plunder.

• Picture a band of renegade mercenaries, operating outside any legal authority, raiding a coastal village and carrying off livestock, foodstuffs, and any valuables they can find from the homes of the inhabitants. Their actions of pillaging and seizing property would be an example of latrocination.

  This scenario exemplifies latrocination as it involves the plundering and robbing of property from a community, highlighting the element of unlawful seizure and widespread theft often associated with the term.