Legal Definitions - brevia anticipantia

Definition: Brevia anticipantia refers to short writs that were used in legal proceedings. These writs were different from charters and were used to initiate legal action or to request a court to take a specific action.

Examples:

• Album breve: A blank writ that had a blank or omission in it.
• Apertum breve: An open, unsealed writ.
• Breve de bono et malo: A writ used to inquire about a person's conduct and character.
• Breve de conventione: A writ used to enforce a contract.

The examples illustrate how brevia anticipantia were used in different legal situations. For instance, the album breve was used to initiate legal action, while the breve de bono et malo was used to inquire about a person's conduct and character. The breve de conventione, on the other hand, was used to enforce a contract.