Legal Definitions - sumner

A sumner was a summoning officer, especially in an ecclesiastical court. They were responsible for summoning parties to appear in court.

In medieval England, a sumner was a petty officer who would deliver a summons to someone who was being sued or accused of a crime. They would either deliver the summons in person or leave it at the person's home or land.

For example, if someone was accused of stealing a cow, the sumner would deliver a summons to that person, telling them to appear in court to answer the charges.

This example illustrates how a sumner was an important figure in the legal system of medieval England, responsible for ensuring that people appeared in court when they were supposed to.