Legal Definitions - forma

Definition: Forma (for-muh) is a Latin word that means "form." In history, it referred to the required way of conducting legal proceedings.

• During the Roman Empire, forma was used to ensure that legal proceedings were conducted in a fair and consistent manner.
• In medieval Europe, forma was used to establish the proper procedures for trials and other legal proceedings.

These examples illustrate how forma was used to establish a standard way of conducting legal proceedings. By following a prescribed forma, judges and lawyers could ensure that trials were conducted fairly and consistently, regardless of the specific circumstances of the case.