Excussio

/ɛkˈkʌʃioʊ/ noun

Definition

A legal term from Roman law referring to the right to demand payment or satisfaction from a debtor or party responsible for a debt.

Etymology

From Latin 'excussio,' derived from 'excutere' meaning 'to shake out' or 'to demand payment.' The prefix 'ex-' means 'out' and 'cutere' means 'to shake,' literally describing the forceful extraction of payment.

Kelly Says

Roman lawyers were so precise they created specific Latin terms for financial procedures that would later influence modern contract and banking law—'excussio' shows how ancient systems of demanding payment shaped the legal language we still use today.

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