Legal Definitions - querela

Definition: Querela (kw-ree-l), n. [Law Latin fr. Latin queri “to complain”] is a historical term used in law. It has three meanings:

1. A complaint that forms the basis of a legal action.
2. A reason for taking legal action.
3. A legal action itself.

Examples:

• John filed a querela against his neighbor for damaging his property.
• The querela of the plaintiff was dismissed by the court due to lack of evidence.
• The querela was settled out of court.

The first example illustrates the first meaning of querela, where John filed a complaint against his neighbor for damaging his property. This complaint forms the basis of a legal action.

The second example illustrates the second meaning of querela, where the plaintiff's reason for taking legal action was dismissed by the court due to lack of evidence.

The third example illustrates the third meaning of querela, where the legal action itself was settled out of court.