Legal Definitions - legit vel non

Definition: Legit vel non? (lee-jit vel non) is a Latin term used in Ecclesiastical law. It means "Does he read or not?" This was a formal question asked by a secular court to an ecclesiastical official when an accused person claimed exemption from the court's jurisdiction by benefit of clergy.

Example: If a person claimed that they were exempt from the court's jurisdiction because they were a member of the clergy, the court would ask the ecclesiastical official, "Legit vel non?" to determine if the person was entitled to exemption.

Explanation: The question "Legit vel non?" was used to determine if a person was entitled to the benefit of clergy, which was a privilege granted to members of the clergy in medieval times. If the ecclesiastical official found that the accused was entitled to exemption, he responded "legit ut clericus," or "he reads like a clerk." This meant that the accused was considered a member of the clergy and could only be tried in an ecclesiastical court.

Example: Benefit of clergy was a privilege that allowed members of the clergy to avoid being tried for a felony in the King's Court. In medieval times, any man who could recite the "neck verse" was granted the benefit of clergy.

Explanation: The "neck verse" was a passage from the Bible that was used to determine if a person was a member of the clergy. If a person could recite the verse, they were considered a member of the clergy and were entitled to the benefit of clergy. This privilege was eventually abolished in England in 1827 and in the United States in the 19th century.