Legal Definitions - de consanguinitate

Definition: De consanguinitate (dee kon-sang-gwin-i-tay-tee) is a legal term that refers to a writ used by an heir to secure the right to land held by a great-great-grandfather or certain collateral relatives. It is also known as cosinage or cousinage.

Example: If someone wants to claim the seisin (possession) of their uncle's land, they would use the writ of cosinage. If they want to claim the seisin of a first cousin's land, they would use the writ of de consanguinitate.

Explanation: The examples illustrate how de consanguinitate and cosinage are used interchangeably to claim the right to land held by relatives. These writs were commonly used in medieval England to settle disputes over land ownership.