1. Hist. A court baron; specif., an annual court, presided over by the lord of the manor, to decide civil disputes between feudal tenants. • The court was usu. held in the manor’s great hall. See COURT BARON.
2. A trade-guild’s commercial court, in which guild members were tried for trade-related offenses against the guild.
3. A convention of citizens in their public hall. — Also termed folkmote.
4. (Erroneously) an ecclesiastical court. • Although this definition appears in many secular legal dictionaries, it is unheard of in canon law. — Often (erroneously) spelled (in sense 4) holymote. — Also spelled (in senses 1–3) hallmoot; halmote; halymote; halle-gemot; haligemote.
