Scandalum magnatum

Scandalum magnatum, in English law, means slander against the great men of the realm, an offence which consisted in spreading false reports concerning a peer, judge, or other great officer. The statute of 1275 which created this offence was repealed in 1887, and the special forms of action or criminal process formerly in use are superseded by the more general rules of the law relating to Libel (q.v.) and Slander (q.v.). A somewhat similar offence in Scotland is called Leasing-making (q.v.).