Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: VICE-COMES
Definition: A vice-comes is a historical term that means either a viscount or a sheriff. In legal records, it was used to note that a sheriff had not yet returned a writ.
Definition: Vice-comes (pronounced vI-suh-koh-meez) is a Latin term used in history and law to refer to a viscount or a sheriff. It is also spelled as vicecomes.
Example 1: The vice-comes was responsible for maintaining law and order in the county.
Example 2: In the court record, the entry "vicecomes non misit breve" means that the sheriff has not yet returned a writ.
Explanation: The term vice-comes was used in medieval England to refer to a high-ranking official who was responsible for maintaining law and order in a county. They were also responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing court orders. The second example illustrates how the term was used in a court record to indicate that the sheriff had not yet returned a writ, which is a legal document that orders someone to do something. This entry was made to keep track of the progress of a case and to ensure that the sheriff was fulfilling their duties.