Legal Definitions - rationes

Rationes is a historical legal term that refers to the formal written documents exchanged between parties in a lawsuit, outlining their claims, defenses, and responses. In essence, these were the structured arguments and counter-arguments presented in writing to a court in earlier legal systems.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of rationes:

• Imagine a dispute in 15th-century England where a landowner accused a neighboring farmer of encroaching on his property. The landowner's initial written complaint, detailing the boundaries, the alleged trespass, and the requested remedy, would be considered part of the rationes. The farmer's subsequent written defense, perhaps asserting a long-standing right of way or a different understanding of the boundary, would also fall under this term.

  This illustrates rationes as the formal written statements used to initiate and respond to a legal claim in a historical context.

• Consider a case in a colonial American court where a merchant sued a customer for unpaid debts. The merchant would submit a written statement detailing the goods provided, the agreed price, and the outstanding balance. This formal written claim was part of the rationes. The customer's written reply, perhaps disputing the quality of the goods or claiming prior payment, would also be part of the rationes.

  Here, rationes represents the structured written arguments used by both sides to present their case and defense to the court.

• In a historical ecclesiastical court, a noble family might challenge the validity of a will, claiming undue influence on the deceased. Their formal written petition, outlining the grounds for their challenge and their proposed alternative distribution of assets, would be an example of rationes. The executor's written response, defending the will's legitimacy and the deceased's sound mind, would also be part of the rationes.

  This example shows rationes as the formal written submissions used in historical legal proceedings to articulate complex claims and counter-claims regarding inheritance.