APOCHA TRIUM ANNORUM

apocha  trium  annorum  (ap-<<schwa>>-k<<schwa>>  trI-<<schwa>>m  <<schwa>>-nor-<<

schwa>>m).  [Latin  “receipt  for  three  years”]  Scots  law.  Hist.  Receipts  for  three  consecutive

periodic payments, the production of which gave rise to a presumption that prior installments had

been properly paid.

“The  production  by  the  debtor  of  receipts  for  the  last  three  consecutive  installments  of  a

termly payment, such as feu-duty, rent, wages or interest, raises a presumption, the apocha trium

annorum, rebuttable by  parol evidence, that all prior instalments have been  duly paid. The same

inference is not justified by  one receipt, even  for three  or  more instalments. Nor  do receipts for

three  instalments  justify  an  inference  that  a  bill,  granted  for  earlier  arrears,  has  been  paid.”  2

David M. Walker, Principles of Scottish Private Law 143 (4th ed. 1988). [Blacks Law 8th]