Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: implied reciprocal servitude
STARR is a type of contract that Jewish people used to use a long time ago. It was a special kind of contract that was used to release someone from an obligation. The word "STARR" comes from a Hebrew word that means "a writing." King Richard I said that these contracts were only valid if they were put in a special place called a repository. The biggest repository was in the king's Exchequer at Westminster. The room where they kept these contracts was probably called the "STARR room."
Definition: A Jewish contract, often used for release of an obligation, that was declared invalid by Richard I unless it was placed in a lawful repository. The word comes from the Latin "starrum" and the Hebrew "sh'tar," meaning "a writing."
Example: Before the Jews were banished from England under Edward I, their contracts and obligations were called "starra" or "starrs." These documents were written in Hebrew and were often used for business transactions. Richard I declared that these contracts were only valid if they were placed in a lawful repository, such as the one in the king's Exchequer at Westminster.
Explanation: The example illustrates how STARR was used as a legal document for business transactions among Jewish communities in medieval England. It also shows how Richard I's decree affected the validity of these contracts and the importance of keeping them in a lawful repository.