Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A lettre de cachet is a type of letter that a king or queen would send to have someone put in jail without a trial. It was like a secret order that only the king or queen could give.
LETTRE DE CACHET
A lettre de cachet is a type of royal warrant that allows a person to be imprisoned without a trial. The term comes from the French words "letter with a seal."
During the reign of King Louis XVI of France, lettres de cachet were frequently used to silence political dissidents and other individuals who were seen as a threat to the monarchy. For example, the writer Voltaire was imprisoned for several months by a lettre de cachet.
Another example of a lettre de cachet being used was in the case of the Marquis de Sade, a French nobleman and writer who was imprisoned for his scandalous writings and behavior.
The examples illustrate how lettres de cachet were used to imprison individuals without a trial or due process. These warrants were often used to silence political dissidents or individuals who were seen as a threat to the monarchy or social order. The use of lettres de cachet was a controversial practice that was eventually abolished during the French Revolution.