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Simple English definitions for legal terms
sweinmote
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A quick definition of sweinmote:
Term: SWEINMOTE
Definition: A court held in the forest three times a year to try forest offenses. The judges are called verderors and the jurors are freeholders of the forest. The court's main job is to investigate complaints against forest officers and to try cases of illegal hunting and cutting down trees.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: A historical forest court that was held three times a year. The court was presided over by verderors as judges and freeholders of the forest as jurors. Its purpose was to try forest offenses. The court was also known as swainmote, swanimote, swainemote, or swaingemote.
Example: "The court of sweinmote is to be holden before the verderors, as judges, by the steward of the sweinmote thrice in every year .... The principal jurisdiction of this court is, first, to enquire into the oppressions and grievances committed by the officers of the forest ... and, secondly, to receive and try presentments certified from the court of attachments against offences in vert and venison." (3 William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England 72 (1768))
This example shows that the sweinmote was a court that had the power to investigate and try forest offenses. It was also responsible for addressing grievances committed by officers of the forest. The court was held three times a year and was presided over by verderors as judges and freeholders of the forest as jurors.