Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: Rapina
Definition: Rapina is when someone takes something that belongs to someone else by using force. This is against the law. It is like stealing, but with violence. If someone commits rapina, they can be punished by the law.
Definition: Rapina (rə-pē-nə). A term from Roman and civil law that means "robbery" or "pillage." It refers to the act of taking someone else's property by force, with the intention of keeping it for oneself.
For example, if someone breaks into a store and steals money from the cash register, that is considered rapina. Similarly, if someone mugs another person on the street and takes their wallet, that is also rapina.
In Roman law, rapina gave rise to a legal action called the "praetorian actio vi bonorum raptorum," which allowed the victim to seek compensation for their stolen property.