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compurgation noun[ U ] law, history specializeduk /ˌkɒm.pəˈɡeɪ.ʃən/ us /ˌkɑːm.pɚˈɡeɪ.ʃən/ In the Middle Ages, compurgation was a way of deciding that someone who was accused of committing a crime was not guilty if a number of their friends or neighbours made formal statements saying that they were not guilty: The accused man was able to clear his name by compurgation. The truth of the charges was decided by compurgation. The church courts used compurgation in cases where priests were accused of crimes. Compurgation was not allowed when someone had been accused of certain acts of violence. In later times, compurgation was largely replaced by trial by jury. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases Court cases, orders & decisions actionable actionably administer admissibility admissible extrajudicial extrajudicially fatal accident inquiry federal case finding pettifogging plea bargain plea bargaining pleading post bail the Webster ruling walk walk freeidiom wardship witness to something |