Amercement
The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary · Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922
The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary
In practice
A pecuniary penalty imposed upon an offender by a judicial tribunal. The judgment of the court is that the party be at the mercy of the court (sit in misericordia), upon which the affeerors — or, in the superior courts, the coronerliquidate the penalty. As distinguished from a fine, at the old law an amercement was for a lesser offense, might be imposed by a court. not of record, and was for an by statute. Either party to a suit who failed was to be amerced pro clamore falso (for his false claim), but these amercements have been long since disused.
4 Bl. Comm. 379; Bac. Abr. "Fines and Amercements."
The officers of the court, and any person who committed a contempt. of court, was also liable to be amerced. AMESUREMENT (Law Fr.) In old English law.
Admeasurement.
Britt. c.
58; Reg. Grig. 155, "Regula."