Legal Definitions - superplusagium

superplusagium is a historical legal term that refers to a surplus or a remainder. It describes something left over after all necessary deductions, payments, or allocations have been made according to a specific plan or obligation.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a historical will where a deceased person's estate was to be used first to pay off all outstanding debts and then to distribute specific amounts of money to named individuals. If, after all these obligations were fully satisfied, there was still money remaining in the estate, that leftover amount would be considered the superplusagium. This remainder would then typically pass to the residuary beneficiaries specified in the will.

• Consider a medieval town council that levied a special tax on its citizens to fund the construction of a new bridge. Once the bridge was completed and all contractors and laborers had been paid, if there were still funds left over from the collected tax, those remaining funds would constitute the superplusagium. The council would then need to decide how to allocate this surplus, perhaps by returning it to the citizens or using it for another public project.

• In a historical agricultural context, a landowner might set aside a specific portion of their harvest to feed their household and livestock for the year. After ensuring these essential needs were fully met, any grain or produce that remained beyond the required amount could be referred to as the superplusagium. This surplus could then be sold, stored, or used for other purposes.