Legal Definitions - piepowder court

A piepowder court is a type of court that had jurisdiction over a fair or market during medieval times in England. It was presided over by the organizer's steward and was named after two French words, "pied" and "poudre," which mean "dusty feet." The court was responsible for settling disputes that arose during the fair or market.

For example, if a merchant sold a faulty product or if there was a disagreement over the price of goods, the piepowder court would hear the case and make a ruling. The court's decisions were final and had to be obeyed.

The name "piepowder court" comes from the fact that the court was often held outside, where the ground was dusty and the merchants' feet would become covered in powder. The court was also known as the "court of piepowder" and was sometimes spelled in different ways, such as "piepoudre," "piedpoudre," "pipowder," or "py-powder."