Legal Definitions - boteless

Boteless (boht-ləs), adj.

1. Historical. Refers to an offense that cannot be expiated or remedied by paying a fine. The offender is required to suffer loss of liberty or life. Boteless offenses first appeared in Anglo-Saxon Britain around A.D. 700. They usually involved treason or violence against the king.
2. Historical. Without relief or remedy. Refers to the privilege of making satisfaction for a crime by pecuniary payment. The modern word "bootless" is derived from this term.

Example: In the laws of Ine, certain offenders could be put to death instead of paying a money fine. This was a step towards modern criminal law. Boteless offenses are familiar to us today, but they first appeared in Anglo-Saxon Britain around A.D. 700. These offenses usually involved treason or violence against the king.

Explanation: Boteless offenses were serious crimes that could not be resolved by paying a fine. The offender had to suffer a loss of liberty or life. This was a significant change in criminal law at the time. The example shows how boteless offenses were used in Anglo-Saxon Britain and how they are still relevant today.