Contumacy

Contumacy, in ecclesiastical law, is contempt of the authority of an ecclesiastical court and is dealt with by the issue of a writ from the court of chancery at the instance of the judge of the ecclesiastical court. This writ took the place of the de excommunicato capiendo in 1813, by an act of George III; see excommunication.

The term "contumacy" is derived from Latin contumacia, or obstinacy. It refers to a stubborn refusal to obey authority, or particularly, in law, the wilful contempt of the order or summons of a court (see contempt of court.)

References

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Contumacy (in Canon Law) Article in the Catholic Encyclopedia