Legal Definitions - leipa

Leipa is a historical legal term that refers to a person who was a runaway or a fugitive.

In historical legal contexts, a leipa was someone who had fled from a specific place, obligation, or authority, often to avoid legal consequences, duties, or capture.

Here are some examples illustrating the application of this term:

• Imagine a medieval serf, bound to the land and service of a lord, who secretly left their village and fled to a distant town, hoping to live as a free person. This serf would have been considered a leipa by their lord, as they were a 'runaway' from their feudal obligations and the jurisdiction of their manor.

• Consider a person in a historical kingdom who was accused of a minor crime and, rather than face trial or punishment, escaped from the local jail and disappeared into the wilderness. This individual would be labeled a leipa, signifying their status as a 'fugitive' from justice.

• During a period when debtors could face severe penalties, a merchant who accumulated significant debts and then secretly abandoned their business and family to avoid creditors and potential imprisonment would have been referred to as a leipa. They were a 'fugitive' from their financial responsibilities and the legal consequences associated with their debts.