Legal Definitions - responsalis

Definition: Responsalis (res-pon-say-lis) is a term from Law Latin. It has two meanings:

1. Historically, it referred to a person who appeared and answered for someone else.
2. In Ecclesiastical law, it referred to a proctor, which is a person who represents someone else in legal matters.

Examples:

• In the past, a responsalis would appear in court and answer questions on behalf of someone else who was unable to attend.
• In the Catholic Church, a responsalis would act as a proctor for a bishop or other church official in legal matters.

These examples illustrate how a responsalis was someone who acted on behalf of another person, either in a legal or religious context.