Legal Definitions - basse justice

Definition: Basse justice (bahs zhoo-stees) is a term from Law French that means "low justice." It refers to the feudal lord's right to personally try a person charged with a minor offense.

Examples:

• A lord might exercise basse justice over a peasant accused of stealing a chicken from a neighbor.
• In medieval times, basse justice was often used to punish minor crimes like theft, trespassing, and disturbing the peace.

These examples illustrate how basse justice was a form of legal authority that allowed feudal lords to maintain order and punish minor offenses within their own territories. It was a way for lords to exercise their power and authority over their subjects, and it was often used in conjunction with other forms of justice, such as haute justice (high justice) which involved more serious crimes and punishments.