ecclesiastical law
Ecclesiastical law, or church law, refers to legal rules and regulations created and enforced by a religious institution, rather than by a secular authority such as a monarch or parliament. The term is most commonly associated with the law of the Anglican Church, or with canon law, which governs the Catholic Church.
Ecclesiastical law primarily addresses the internal governance of a church and the conduct of its clergy and members. It generally does not apply to laypeople who are not members of the religious institution. However, in England between 1351 and 1575, the benefit of clergy allowed literate criminal defendants, excluding those accused of high treason or poaching, to be tried in ecclesiastical courts rather than secular courts. This privilege was partially restricted in 1512 for felonies committed with malice aforethought and further limited in 1530. Defendants often sought trials in ecclesiastical courts because their procedures and punishments were typically more lenient than those of secular courts.
[Last reviewed in July of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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