Warning
Info
Warning
Info
Simple English definitions for legal terms
court roll
Read a random definition: vocatio in jus
A quick definition of court roll:
A court roll is a historical record of a manor's tenures, specifically the terms by which the various tenants held their estates. Copyhold tenure, which required the tenant to provide customary services of the manor, developed from the practice of maintaining court rolls. This type of tenure was abolished in 1922, which converted copyhold land into freehold or leasehold land. Land held on an unfree tenure could only be transferred by a surrender and admittance made in the lord's court, and the transaction was recorded on the court rolls. The transferee was given a copy of the entry to prove their title, and they held "by copy of the court roll," which became known as "copyhold."
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: A record of a manor's tenures, specifically the terms by which the various tenants held their estates. It is also used to refer to copyhold tenure, which developed from the practice of maintaining court rolls. Copyhold tenure is a base tenure that requires the tenant to provide the customary services of the manor, as reflected in the manor's court rolls.
Example: In medieval England, land was often held by copyhold, which meant that the tenant held the land at the will of the lord of the manor. The terms of the tenancy were recorded in the court roll, which was maintained by the manor court. For example, a tenant might be required to pay rent, perform certain services for the lord, or maintain the property in a certain way. The court roll was used to enforce these obligations and to resolve disputes between tenants and the lord.
Explanation: The court roll was an important document in medieval England because it recorded the terms of the tenancy and the obligations of the tenant. It was used to enforce these obligations and to resolve disputes between the tenant and the lord of the manor. The court roll was also used to transfer land from one tenant to another, as the transaction had to be recorded on the court roll and the transferee given a copy of the entry to prove their title.