Comminatory

In law, a comminatory is a clause inserted into a law, edict, patent, etc., describing a punishment that is to be imposed on delinquents, which, however, is not in practice executed with the rigor that is conveyed in the description, or not even executed at all.

Thus, in some countries, when an exile is enjoined not to return on pain of death, it is deemed a comminatory penalty, since, if he did return, it is not strictly executed, but instead the same threat is laid on him again, which is more than comminatory.

See also

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "article name needed". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (first ed.). James and John Knapton, et al. 


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 7/6/2012. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.