talesman

A talesman sits in the jury box during a trial.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person summoned as a substitute juror: In legal contexts, a "talesman" is an individual called to serve on a jury when the originally selected jurors are insufficient in number or disqualified.

Usage Examples

• (A substitute juror was summoned due to illness.)
• (A substitute juror can be selected from those present in the courtroom.)

Advanced Usage

• "talesman" in historical context: The term originates from the Latin phrase "tales de circumstantibus" meaning "such of the bystanders," referring to the practice of selecting jurors from those present in court.
  • In medieval England, a talesman was often chosen from spectators to complete a jury. (A substitute juror was selected from onlookers.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tales (n): a legal term for the process of summoning additional jurors.
  • The judge ordered a tales to fill the vacant jury seats. (The process of calling substitute jurors was initiated.)

Synonyms

• Substitute juror: a person who replaces a regular juror.
• Alternate juror: a juror selected to serve if a regular juror is dismissed.

Related Idioms