Legal Definitions - lot and scot

Lot and Scot refers to a historical legal practice where, in certain towns and boroughs, individuals were required to pay specific local taxes or duties before they were permitted to cast their vote in an election. It essentially meant that a person's right to vote was conditional upon their financial contribution to the local community.

• Example 1: Imagine a prosperous merchant living in a bustling English borough in the 17th century. Before an election for the borough's representative in Parliament, local officials would verify that the merchant had paid his annual property taxes and any specific levies for the upkeep of the town's market square. If he had not fulfilled these financial obligations, he would be deemed ineligible to vote.

  Explanation: This scenario illustrates "lot and scot" because the merchant's ability to exercise his voting right was directly tied to his payment of local duties (property taxes and market levies) to the borough.

• Example 2: Consider a skilled craftsman residing in a medieval city known for its strong guilds. When it came time to elect new city aldermen, only those residents who could demonstrate they had paid their required contributions to the city's common fund – perhaps for maintaining city walls or supporting local charities – were allowed to participate in the voting process. Those who had not paid their share were excluded.

  Explanation: Here, the craftsman's payment of contributions to the city's common fund represents the "lot and scot" – a civic duty that had to be fulfilled as a prerequisite for voting in local elections.