Legal Definitions - restitutione temporalium

Definition: Restitutione temporalium is a Latin term used in Ecclesiastical law. It refers to a writ that directs the sheriff to restore the secular properties or revenues of an ecclesiastic, such as a bishop, to their rightful owner.

Example: If a bishop is wrongfully deprived of their secular properties or revenues, they can seek restitutione temporalium to regain what is rightfully theirs.

This term illustrates the concept of temporal power, which is the civil or political power held by an individual or organization, as opposed to ecclesiastical power, which is the religious authority held by the Church. In the context of Ecclesiastical law, temporalities refer to the secular properties or revenues of an ecclesiastic, which are distinct from their spiritual duties and responsibilities.