Legal Definitions - infra corpus comitatus

Definition: Infra corpus comitatus (in-frə kor-pəs kom-ə-tay-təs) is a Latin legal term that means "within the body of a county." In English law, it referred to a body of water that was completely enclosed by land and therefore exempt from admiralty jurisdiction.

Example: A lake that is entirely surrounded by land within a county would be considered infra corpus comitatus and not subject toadmiralty jurisdiction.

Explanation: This means that if a legal dispute arises on a lake that is entirely surrounded by land within a county, it would be subject to the jurisdiction of the county court rather than the admiralty court. This term is important in understanding the historical development of legal jurisdiction in England and how it has evolved over time.