Legal Definitions - rapuit

Rapuit is a historical Latin term that translates to "ravished." In past legal systems, particularly within English common law, this term was formally used in legal documents, such as indictments, to describe the act of rape. It specifically signified that a person had been forcibly taken or sexually assaulted against their will.

• Example 1: Historical Indictment
  Imagine a 17th-century English court record where an indictment against an accused individual might state: "The Grand Jury doth present that John Doe, on the third day of May, in the year of our Lord sixteen hundred and seventy-five, did unlawfully and feloniously, with force and arms, Jane Roe rapuit, against her will and against the King's peace."

  This example illustrates how rapuit was directly incorporated into a formal legal accusation (an indictment) to describe the alleged crime of rape, indicating the forcible violation of the victim.

• Example 2: Legal Commentary on Past Practices
  An 18th-century legal scholar, writing a treatise on criminal law and its historical evolution, might discuss the specific language used in past charges. They could write: "For centuries, the formal charge of rape in our courts often employed the Latin phrase, asserting that the accused 'did rapuit' the victim, thereby signifying the forcible sexual violation and its criminal nature."

  Here, rapuit is used in a discussion about historical legal terminology, demonstrating how legal scholars would refer to the term when explaining the traditional phrasing of rape charges in earlier legal periods.

• Example 3: Summary of a Historical Court Case
  A clerk summarizing the outcome of a trial from the 16th century might note in the court rolls: "Case of Richard Smith: Accused of felony, specifically that he did rapuit Mary Jones. Found guilty and sentenced accordingly."

  This example shows rapuit appearing in a concise summary of a court proceeding, indicating the core accusation that led to the trial and conviction, directly linking it to the act of rape as understood in that historical context.