AMERCE

amerce (<<schwa>>-m<<schwa>>rs), vb.1. To impose a fine or penalty that is not fixed but

is left to the court’s discretion; to punish by amercement. 2. To fine or punish in any manner. —

amerceable          (<<schwa>>-m<<schwa>>r-s<<          schwa>>-b<<schwa>>l),          amerciable

(<<schwa>>-m<<schwa>>r-see-<<schwa>>-b<< schwa>>l), adj.

“There were two more aspects to this financial scheme of permitting suitors to use the royal

courts — for a con-sideration. The practice developed of ‘amercing’ or fining those who were ‘in

the mercy of the king’ because they had put forward a false claim, or had made a false defense. In

other words the loser of the suit had to pay a fine for his supposedly unjust effort to deny or resist

the claim of his opponent.” Charles Herman Kinnane, A First Book on Anglo-American Law 272

(2d ed. 1952). [Blacks Law 8th]