Compurgator

English Law: Compurgator in the Past

By the English law, when a party was sued in debt or simple contract (see more about this popular legal topic in the U.K. encyclopedia), detinue and perhaps some other forms of action, the defendant might wage his law, by producing eleven compurgators who would swear they believed him on his oath, by which he discharged himself from the action in certain cases. Vide 3 Bl. Com. 341-848; Barr. on the Stat. 344; 2 Inst. 25; Terms de la Ley; Mansel on Demurrer, 130, 131 Wager of Law. [1][rtbs name=”history-of-english-law”]

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Notes and References

1. Partialy, this information about compurgator is based on the Bouvier´s Law Dictionary, 1848 edition. There is a list of terms of the Bouvier´s Law Dictionary, including compurgator.

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