Legal Definitions - registrum originale

Registrum originale refers to a historical legal record book, specifically a collection of standard forms for "original writs" used in medieval English law. Original writs were formal written commands issued by the King, which were essential for initiating legal cases in the royal courts. This register served as a comprehensive reference for clerks and lawyers, ensuring consistency and proper procedure when drafting these foundational legal documents.

• Imagine a royal clerk in 13th-century England whose task is to prepare a writ for a plaintiff seeking to recover a debt. To ensure the writ is correctly worded and follows established legal procedure, the clerk would consult the registrum originale. This register would provide the precise template for a "writ of debt," allowing the clerk to draft the official command that would initiate the legal process.

  This example illustrates the registrum originale as a practical guide for legal professionals, providing the standard forms for initiating specific types of lawsuits and ensuring procedural correctness.

• Consider a landowner in medieval England who wishes to challenge a neighbor's encroachment on their property. To begin the legal process, they would need to obtain an "original writ" from the King's chancery. The officials responsible for issuing these writs would refer to the registrum originale to ensure they provided the correct and legally valid form for a "writ of novel disseisin" (a writ used for recovering land from which one has been wrongfully dispossessed). This ensured the landowner's case started on the proper legal footing.

  This demonstrates the registrum originale as the authoritative source for the formal documents that empowered individuals to access royal justice for specific grievances, ensuring the correct legal instrument was used for each type of complaint.

• A legal historian today researching the development of common law in medieval England might examine surviving copies of a registrum originale. By analyzing the various writ forms contained within, such as those concerning trespass or property rights, the scholar could understand the scope of royal justice and the procedural mechanisms available to litigants centuries ago, tracing the evolution of legal actions.

  This example highlights the registrum originale's value as a historical document, offering insights into the legal system and the types of cases that could be brought before the courts, thereby aiding in the study of legal history.