Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: maritime peril
Libertas Ecclesiastica: A fancy Latin term that means "church liberty." It's a special rule that says the church and its leaders don't have to follow the same laws as everyone else. Instead, they have their own set of rules called "ecclesiastical law." This rule was made a long time ago in a document called Magna Carta, which was written in 1215.
Definition: Libertas ecclesiastica (pronounced li-buhr-tas e-klee-zee-as-ti-kuh) is a Latin term that means "church liberty." It refers to the immunity from secular law that the church and its clergy enjoyed, being subject only to ecclesiastical law. This immunity was established in Magna Carta in 1215.
Example: In medieval Europe, the church and its clergy were exempt from paying taxes to the king or any secular authority. They were also immune from prosecution in secular courts, and could only be tried in church courts. This meant that they had a lot of power and influence, and could sometimes abuse their privileges.
Explanation: The example illustrates how the church and its clergy were granted special privileges and exemptions from secular law, which gave them a lot of power and influence. This could sometimes lead to abuses of power, as they were not held accountable to the same laws as everyone else.