Legal Definitions - pour faire proclaimer

Pour faire proclaimer is a historical legal term originating from Law French, meaning "for making a proclamation." It refers to a formal written order, or writ, that was issued to a local official, such as a mayor or a bailiff, in a city or town. This writ legally compelled the official to make a public announcement or proclamation about a specific matter to the residents of that locality.

Essentially, it was a mechanism for a higher authority to ensure that important information, directives, or new laws were formally and publicly communicated to the general populace within a specific jurisdiction.

Here are some examples illustrating how a "pour faire proclaimer" might have been used historically:

• Public Health Crisis: Imagine a situation in medieval England where a severe outbreak of a contagious disease, like the plague, was spreading rapidly through a neighboring region. A higher court or the Crown might issue a pour faire proclaimer to the mayor of a nearby, unaffected town. This writ would require the mayor to publicly announce strict quarantine measures, such as prohibiting travel to and from the infected areas, or mandating the closure of public gatherings, to protect the town's inhabitants.

  This example illustrates the term because the writ is directed to a local official (the mayor) and compels them to make a public announcement (the quarantine measures) for the welfare of the community.

• Enforcement of New Laws or Decrees: Consider a scenario where a new royal decree was issued, perhaps establishing a new tax on certain goods or outlining new regulations for trade within the kingdom. To ensure widespread awareness and compliance, the Crown might send a pour faire proclaimer to the bailiff of a major market town. The bailiff would then be legally obligated to publicly read and declare this new decree in the town square, ensuring that all merchants and citizens were informed of their new obligations or rights.

  Here, the term is demonstrated by the formal order requiring a local official (the bailiff) to publicly declare a new legal directive (the royal decree) to the town's residents.

• Seeking Justice or Apprehending Criminals: In times when communication was slow and widespread, a higher judicial authority might issue a pour faire proclaimer to the mayor of a city to assist in the apprehension of a wanted criminal. The writ would instruct the mayor to publicly announce the description of a fugitive, the nature of their alleged crime, and perhaps a reward for information leading to their capture. This public announcement would enlist the community's help in locating the individual.

  This example shows the term in action as a formal command to a local official (the mayor) to make a public announcement (the description of a fugitive and reward) to aid in the administration of justice.