Legal Definitions - commendam

COMMENDAM

Commendam refers to a vacant benefice held by a clerk until a regular pastor could be appointed in the context of Ecclesiastical law. It was a lucrative source of income for bishops and other dignitaries. Commendams were abolished in England in 1836. In the context of partnership, it refers to a partnership in which one partner contributes capital and shares profits but cannot manage the business and is liable only for the amount of their contribution.

• In the past, a bishop could hold a commendam until a regular pastor was appointed to the benefice.
• A limited partnership is an example of a partnership in commendam where one partner contributes capital but cannot manage the business.

The first example illustrates the historical context of commendam in Ecclesiastical law. The second example illustrates the modern context of commendam in partnership law.