Legal Definitions - inquiry

Definition: Inquiry refers to the process of seeking information or facts about a particular subject or situation. It can be used in different contexts such as international law, parliamentary law, and historical contexts.

In international law, inquiry refers to fact-finding. For example, a country may launch an inquiry to investigate allegations of human rights violations in another country.

In parliamentary law, inquiry refers to a request for information, either procedural or substantive. For instance, a member of parliament may make an inquiry to obtain information about a proposed bill or to clarify a parliamentary procedure.

In historical contexts, inquiry can refer to a writ to assess damages by the sheriff or sheriff's deputies. For example, in medieval England, a writ of inquiry was used to determine the amount of damages owed to a plaintiff in a civil case.

These examples illustrate how inquiry can be used in different contexts to seek information or facts about a particular subject or situation.