MEDITATIO FUGAE

meditatio fugae (med-i-tay-shee-oh fyoo-jee). [Latin] Scots law. The intention of absconding.

“When a creditor is in circumstances to make oath or affirmation that his debtor, whether native or foreigner, is in meditatione fugae, in order to avoid the payment of his debt, or where he has reasonable ground for apprehending that the debtor has such an intention, it is competent for the creditor to apply to a magistrate, who, on inquiring into the circumstances, and finding reason to believe that the creditor’s application is well founded, will grant a warrant for apprehending the debtor for examination; and may afterwards grant warrant to imprison him until he find caution judicio sisti.” William Bell, Bell’s Dictionary and Digest of the Law of Scotland 711–12 (George Watson ed., 7th ed. 1890).

[Blacks Law 8th]