Legal Definitions - committitur piece

Definition: A committitur piece was an instrument used to charge a debtor who was already in prison. It was typically used by the plaintiff who had caused the debtor's imprisonment. However, this practice was abolished by the 1869 Debtors Act, which eliminated imprisonment for debt.

Example: In the past, if someone owed money and couldn't pay it back, they could be sent to prison. Once in prison, the person could be charged with a committitur piece, which would extend their sentence until they paid back the debt. For example, if someone owed £100 and was sent to prison, they could be charged with a committitur piece that added an extra six months to their sentence. This meant that they would have to stay in prison until they paid back the £100 plus any additional fees.

Explanation: The example illustrates how a committitur piece was used to extend a debtor's sentence in prison until they paid back their debt. It shows how this practice was used to force people to pay their debts, even if it meant staying in prison for a longer period of time. However, this practice was abolished by the 1869 Debtors Act, which recognized that imprisoning people for debt was unfair and ineffective.