noun
- a medieval legal procedure in which an accused person could clear themselves of charges by producing witnesses who would swear to their innocence or good character
Usage: historical; legal
Examples
- The accused nobleman sought compurgations from twelve respected members of the community.
- Medieval courts often relied on compurgations rather than physical evidence.
- The practice of compurgations gradually disappeared as legal systems evolved.
- Under canon law, compurgations were commonly used to resolve disputes.
- The defendant’s compurgations were accepted by the ecclesiastical court.
- Historical records show that compurgations were frequently used in property disputes.