QUAESTIO

In Roman law. Anciently a species of commission granted by the comitia to one or more persons for the purpose of inquiring into some crime or public offense and reporting thereon. In later times, the qucestio came to exercise plenary criminal jurisdiction, even to pronouncing sentence, and then was appointed periodically, and eventually became a permanent commission or regular criminal tribunal, and was then called “quastio perpetual” Maine, Anc. Law, 369-372. In medieval law. The question; the torture; inquiry or inquisition by inflicting the torture. Cadit quastio. The question falls; the discussion ends; there is no room for further argument-Quastio vexata. A vexed question or mooted point; a question often agitated or discussed but not determined; a question or point which has been differently decided, and to left doubtful.