Legal Definitions - sursise

Sursise is a historical legal term that refers to an act of neglect or an omission. It signifies a failure to perform a duty, an obligation, or an expected action, often resulting in a lapse or a default.

Here are some examples illustrating the historical application of "sursise":

• Imagine a scenario in 16th-century England where a tenant farmer was obligated by their lease agreement to maintain the fences surrounding their leased fields. If the farmer consistently failed to repair broken sections of the fence, allowing livestock to wander onto neighboring property and cause damage, this failure to maintain the property would be considered a sursise.

  This illustrates sursise as an act of neglect, where the farmer omitted their contractual duty to maintain the fences, leading to a breach of their agreement.

• Consider a medieval town where a designated official was responsible for ensuring the public wells were regularly cleaned and maintained. If this official consistently overlooked their duty, allowing the wells to become unsanitary and potentially cause illness among the townspeople, their inaction would be a sursise.

  Here, sursise represents an omission of a public duty. The official neglected their responsibility to maintain public health infrastructure, failing to perform a necessary action.

• In the 18th century, a ship's captain was legally bound to keep a detailed logbook of the voyage, including weather conditions, significant events, and crew activities. If a captain deliberately or carelessly failed to record a critical incident, such as a severe storm or a significant repair, potentially hindering future investigations or insurance claims, this would be a sursise.

  This example demonstrates sursise as a failure to act or an omission of a required professional duty. The captain neglected their obligation to maintain accurate and complete records.