Manuscripta juridica

Ordo iudiciorum Scotiae - Treatise 'In all actiounis and pleyes thrie persounis are necessar' ("Form of process") , edited in print in 1609.

Quotes Corpus iuris civilis (very frequently), Corpus iuris canonici, Regiam maiestatem (quoted without mentioning its title) and other texts of the "Auld Lawis", Acts of Parliament, Acts of Sederunt. The procedure described in the text corresponds to the usual pattern of Jus Commune litigation, with few adaptations to Scottish domestic law

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No. of pages: Fol. 109r-128r (second series):

Rubric: Ane short forme of proces presentlie used and observed before the Lords of Counsell and Session.

[{i}Motto above the title:{/i}] In my defence God me defend

Incipit:

• (Main text:) Of judges and division of actions. Chapter 1. In all actions and pleyes thrie persons are necessare, judex, the judge, actor, the persewer, reus, the defender: lib. 2 c. 2; c. Forus 10, de verborum significatione, Extra [X.5.40.10]. The judge hes divers and sindrie jurisdictions, because some actions are criminall, quhilk concernes life and limme, or tynsell of any of them, or tuiches sic crimes as may infer confiscation of the gudes perteining to the trespassour, to be applied to the king's use: lib. 1 c. 1. 2. Quhilk criminal actions sould be decided and determined before the Justitiar Generall or his deputes as only judges in criminall causes, be inquisition of ane assise of certaine loyel and gude men, quha best knawis the treuth and veritie: lib. 1 c. 1; lib. 4 c. 5. 5; Stat. Alex. c. 2.

  [{i}Further headings and incipit words of chapters:{/i}].

  2. The parts of ane proces. All processis led and deduced.

  3. Of the summons. The summons or libell sould conteine.

  4. Execution of the summons. All summons in civill actions.

  5. The summons of continuation. To the effect the partie may be better certified.

  6. Of the persewer absent, and the defender present. Quhen the persewer comperes not.

  7. Of the defender absent, and the persewer present. Quhen the defender compeirs not, nor na procuratour.

  8. Of the persewer and defender comperand. Gif baith the persewer and the defender.

  9. Of procuratours. Procuratours or advocats may compeir.

  10. The calling of ane warant. Conforme to the auld law and practicque.

  11. The order of proponing of exceptions. The defender may pas fra his comperance.

  12. Definition and division of exceptione. Exceptio definitur actionis exclusio.

  13. Exceptions dilatours. Ane exception is called dilatoria, a differendo.

  14. Exceptions peremptours. Exceptions are called peremptours, a perimendo, quia caussam perimunt et prorsus extingunt.

  15. Of litis-contestation. The second part of ane proces is litiscontestation.

  16. Of probation. The persewer sould prove his libell or clame.

  17. Divers kinds of probation. Thrie kindes of probation are used commonly in civill causes conforme to the Law of this Realme: lib. 3 c. 6; c. Finem 5, et ibi glossa in verbo 'fundaverit', de dolo et contumacia, Extra [X.2.14.5]. The first is be the eath of the partie.

  18. Of the eath de calumnia, seu de malitia. Thrie kinds of eathes are commonly used in proces.

  19. Of the aith of veritie. Albeit ther be thrie kinds of aithis.

  20. De juramento in litem. The second kinde of aith used in forme of probation.

  21. Of probation be wreit. The second kinde of probation is called per scripta.

  22. Of probation be witnes. The thrid kinde of probation maist commonlie is used be witnes.

  23. Probation of the libell be witnes. Quhen the libell onely is admitted to probation.

  24. Probation of ane exception be witnes. Like as the persewer sould prove his libell.

  25. Probation of the reply be witnes. Like as ane exception is proponed be the defender.

  26. Circumduction of the terme of probation. All probation be eath, be wreit of be witnes ceases and ends be twa wayes.

  27. Conclusion of the cause. Secondly, all probation ends and ceases be conclusion of the cause.

  28. Improbation of wreits produced for probation. Gif any wreit is produced in modum probationis, the partie.

  29. The direct maner of improbation. The tryall and inquisition of falset be way of improbation is used in twa maner of wayes.

  30. The indirect maner of improbation. The second maner of improbation is the indirect maner.

  31. Of the sentence. In the generall signification, ane sentence is interloquutour.

  32. Execution of the sentence. All sentences and decreits sould have redie execution. Quhilk is eather reall, or personall.

  33. Of poynding of moveable gudes. Quhen ane decreit is obteinit against any person for liquidat summes of money, the Lords directs letters of poynding to Messingers, Officiares of armes.

  34. Of comprising of immoveable gudes. Ane other forme of reall execution of decreits is comprysing, quhen the officiar after diligent serching and seiking of the moveable gudes perteining to the debtour findis nane.

  35. Suspension of decreits [{i}wrongly numbered 34{/i}]. Be the law, judex non potest sententiam definitivam ab eo semel latam revocare, quum officio functus sit: lex Judex 55, ff. de re judicata [D.42.1.55]. Nevertheles the law admits diverse and sundrie exceptiones contra rem judicatam, be way of reduction, or suspension.

  36. Reduction of decretes. Reduction of decretes gevin be inferiour iudges is nocht granted or permitted to themselves quha pronunced the decreit [C.7.50.1; C.7.45.9; D.42.1.14 et 55]{i}.{/i} And within this realme, na iudge may reduce his awne decreit, except the Lords of Session, quha nocht onlie reduce their awne decretes, as sall be said hereafter, bot also the decretes of all inferiour iudges in civil causes. And also the decretes of the Commissars of Edinburgh, quhilk sall happin to be gevin be them in ecclesiasticall causes, against law and reason.

  he hes sufficient ground and richt to reduce the samine decreit be reason of his probable ignorance, as said is. Quia quae de novo emergunt, vel ad notitiam perveniunt, novo indigent auxilio: c. Caeterum, et ibi glossa, de juramento calumniae, Extra [X.2.7.5]; lex 1, ff. de ventre inspiciendo [D.25.4.1]; lex Plane 4, ut in possessionem legatorum [D.36.4.4]; lex De aetate 11 § Ex caussa, ff. de interrogatoriis actionibus [D.11.1.11. 3]