Legal Definitions - suppliant

A suppliant is an individual who makes a humble and earnest request, often seeking assistance, mercy, or a favorable decision from a person or entity in a position of authority. In a specific historical legal context, it referred to a person who formally petitioned the Crown for a remedy, known as a "petition of right."

• Example 1: A citizen whose home was damaged by a natural disaster writes a respectful letter to a charitable foundation, outlining their difficult circumstances and humbly requesting financial aid to rebuild.

  Explanation: In this scenario, the citizen is the suppliant because they are making a sincere and humble request for assistance from an organization that has the power to provide it.

• Example 2: A small business owner, facing unforeseen economic hardship, submits a detailed appeal to a government agency for an extension on a crucial permit deadline, acknowledging the agency's regulations and authority.

  Explanation: The business owner acts as a suppliant by making a respectful and earnest request for a specific concession from a regulatory body that holds the power to approve or deny such an extension.

• Example 3: Historically, if a subject believed the monarch had unjustly seized their property, they might present a "petition of right" directly to the Crown, humbly asking for their land to be returned and for justice to be served.

  Explanation: In this specific legal context, the subject presenting the petition is the suppliant, formally and respectfully appealing to the sovereign's ultimate authority for a remedy to a perceived wrong.