Legal Definitions - quaesita

Quaesita refers to specific questions or matters that are formally posed, investigated, or sought for clarification within a legal or official proceeding. It denotes the points of inquiry that require answers or resolution.

• Judicial Inquiry

  During a complex trial, the judge might present the jury with several quaesita, such as "Did the defendant act with intent?" or "Was the plaintiff's injury a direct result of the defendant's actions?" These are the specific questions the jury must answer based on the evidence presented to reach a verdict.

  This illustrates quaesita because the judge is formally posing distinct questions that require the jury's deliberation and response to resolve key legal issues in the case.

• Legal Research Strategy

  Before drafting a legal brief, a team of lawyers might identify the primary quaesita they need to address, such as "What is the relevant statute of limitations for this type of claim?" or "Are there any precedents that directly support our client's position?" Their subsequent research and arguments will be structured around answering these core questions.

  Here, quaesita represents the fundamental legal questions that the legal team is actively seeking answers to, forming the basis of their strategic approach to the case.

• Administrative Investigation

  An independent commission investigating a workplace incident might issue a report detailing the quaesita it sought to answer, including "Were safety protocols adequately followed?" and "Was there a history of similar incidents?" The report would then present the findings that directly respond to each of these inquiries.

  This demonstrates quaesita as the specific points of inquiry that the commission formally investigated, seeking factual answers to understand the incident and determine accountability.