Legal Definitions - custodia terrae et haeredis

Definition: Custodia terrae et haeredis is a legal term in Latin that means "right of ward." It refers to a writ that allows a guardian in a knight's service to obtain custody of an infant ward.

Example: If a knight dies and leaves behind a young child, the child may become a ward of the court. The knight's guardian in service may then petition for custodia terrae et haeredis to gain custody of the child and manage their inheritance until they come of age.

This example illustrates how custodia terrae et haeredis was used in medieval times to ensure that a child's inheritance was protected and managed by a trusted guardian until they were old enough to manage it themselves.