Questions tagged [common-scold]
The offence of being a common scold (communis rixatrix) is an long-obsolete common-law criminal offence which was formally abolished by statute in England and Wales in 1967. It was adjudicated unconstitutional in New Jersey in 1972, and is practically obsolete in essentially all other common-law jurisdictions. Use this tag for questions about the historical offence, including elements, procedure, pleadings, and its unique and unusual punishment.
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What was the mens rea of being a common scold?
The obsolete offence of being a common scold is somewhat quaintly described by Blackstone (IV:13.5.8, p. 169) as
Lastly, a common scold, communis rixatrix, (for our law-latin confines it to the ...
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