Vehmio Court

(Fehmgericht, probably derived from veme, i.e., "punishment") was the name of a peculiar judicial institution, which, according to tradition, was founded by Charlemagne and Leo III, and continued to exist, at least nominally, in Westphalia down to the present century, when it was suppressed (in 1811) by Jerome Bonaparte. The tribunal was composed of freemen of spotless character, but not necessarily belonging to any certain social rank or state; both the emperor and the peasant could be members. The presence of seven members was necessary in order to form the court. When duke Heinrich of Bavaria was sentenced, in 1434, over eight hundred members were present. The court took cognizance of all kinds of cases, as heresy, witchcraft, rape, theft, robbery, murder, and summoned all kinds of persons, except ecclesiastics, Jews, and women, to appear before it. Its sittings were partly public — held under open sky partly secret, and its verdicts were executed by its own members. In the course of time, when the state became able to maintain its laws, the Vehmic Coourt became superfluous, and in the 16th century it held its last open session. See Wigand, Geschichte der Vehnmgerichte (Wetzlar, 1847); Walter, Deutsche Rechtsgeschichte (Bonn, 1857 ), 2:632; Geisberg, Die Fehme (Minister, 1858); Kampschulte, Zur Geschichte des Mittelalters (Bonn, 1874); Essellen, Die westfalischen Frei- oder Fehmgerichte (1877). (B.P.)