Legal Definitions - assiser

ASSISER

An assiser is a person who has different roles in different contexts:

1. In history, an assiser was a member of a grand assize.
2. In Scots law, an assiser was a juror.
3. In the context of weights and measures, an assiser was a person who had custody of the standards of weight and measure. They were responsible for fixing the assize of bread, ale, and other items of general consumption.

Example 1: In medieval England, a grand assize was a legal procedure used to settle disputes over land ownership. The grand assize consisted of twelve knights and four assisers.

Example 2: In Scotland, an assiser was a juror who helped to decide the outcome of a trial.

Example 3: In the Middle Ages, an assiser was responsible for ensuring that bread and ale were sold at fair prices. They would measure the weight and volume of these items to ensure that customers were not being cheated.

These examples illustrate the different roles that an assiser could have depending on the context. In each case, the assiser was responsible for ensuring that justice was served and that people were treated fairly.