Legal Definitions - stultiloquium

Definition: Stultiloquium is a term that comes from the Latin words "stultus" meaning foolish and "loqui" meaning to speak. It refers to a frivolous pleading that can be punished by a fine.

Example: In the past, if someone made a foolish or frivolous argument in court, they could be fined for their stultiloquium. This may have been the origin of the beaupleader, which was a fine imposed for bad or unfair pleading.

Explanation: The example illustrates how stultiloquium was used in the past to discourage people from making frivolous arguments in court. If someone made a foolish argument, they could be punished with a fine, which would hopefully discourage them from doing it again. The beaupleader was another form of punishment for bad or unfair pleading, which shows how seriously the courts took the issue of frivolous arguments.