Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: OUTFANGTHIEF
Definition: Outfangthief is an old English term that refers to the right of a lord of a manor to catch a thief who has committed a crime within the lord's territory, even if the thief has fled outside the jurisdiction of the manor. This means that the lord can bring the thief back to the manor for trial and punishment. It is also the lord's right to punish all thefts committed within his territories, wherever the thief might be caught. This term is also spelled as outfangthef, utfangthief, and utfangthef. It is the opposite of infangthief.
Definition: Outfangthief (owt-fang-theef) is a historical term that refers to the right of a lord of a manor to pursue a thief outside the manor's jurisdiction and to bring the thief back for trial and punishment. It is also the lord's right to punish all thefts committed within his territories, wherever the thief might be caught.
Example: In medieval England, a lord had the right to pursue a thief who had stolen something from his land, even if the thief had fled to another part of the country. The lord could bring the thief back to his manor for trial and punishment.
Explanation: This example illustrates how the outfangthief right worked in medieval England. If a thief stole something from a lord's land, the lord had the right to pursue the thief and bring him back to his manor for trial and punishment, regardless of where the thief had fled. This right gave lords a lot of power and control over their territories.
Example: Outfangthief was often paired with infangthief, which was the right of a lord to try and punish a thief caught within his manor's jurisdiction.
Explanation: This example shows how outfangthief was related to infangthief. Together, these two rights gave lords complete control over thefts committed within their territories, both inside and outside their manors.