Legal Definitions - servitii praestatio

servitii praestatio

This Latin term, historically used in legal contexts, refers to the performance of services. It describes the act of carrying out duties, tasks, or labor as required, often under an obligation, agreement, or custom.

• Example 1: In a medieval feudal system, a vassal might owe their lord a certain number of days of military service each year. When the vassal gathered their knights and rode to defend the lord's castle during an invasion, they were engaging in servitii praestatio.

  Explanation: The act of providing military assistance directly illustrates the performance of services owed by the vassal to their lord, fulfilling a historical obligation.

• Example 2: A craftsman in a historical guild, such as a shoemaker, might have been obligated to produce a specific number of shoes for the local community or for a particular patron each month. When the shoemaker diligently completed these orders, delivering the finished footwear, they were demonstrating servitii praestatio.

  Explanation: The shoemaker's labor and the delivery of the finished goods represent the performance of their professional services as dictated by their guild membership or agreement.

• Example 3: In ancient Rome, a freedman (a former slave who had been granted freedom) might have been legally bound to provide a certain amount of labor or assistance to their former master as a condition of their manumission. If the freedman spent a day working on their former master's farm, that labor constituted servitii praestatio.

  Explanation: The freedman's work on the farm was a direct performance of services, fulfilling a specific legal obligation arising from their changed status.