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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Litiscontestatio(u)n, n. Also: lites- and -cio(u)n. [L. lītis (gen. of līs lawsuit) contestātio (proving by witness) ‘a formal entering of a suit in law by calling witnesses’: also e.m.E. (1622). More often written as one word.]

The stage in a legal action when, following the presentation in court of the pleas of both parties, proofs of the libel or of a ‘peremptory exception’ were appointed by the judge to be led on a certain date.Litiscontestation was then said to be made or to pass or the defender was said to make litiscontestation, and thereafter neither party might withdraw from the action and no additions or alterations to the libel or defences, other than ‘emergent’, were admissible: c1575 Balfour Pract. 291.
The persewar may correct, mend or habere pro deleto ony part of his libel quhilk is not substantial until litiscontestatioun be maid or the libel expreslie acceptit be the defendar Ib. 342.
Litiscontestatioun … is understuid to be maid in ony actioun … efter the proponing of ane peremptour exceptioun, or quhen the summoundis … or ane peremptour exceptioun or alledgeance is admittit be the judge to the persewar's or defendar's probatioun 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 114.
After that the libell is admitted to probation, and ane terme is assigned for proving thereof. the defender sould not be heard to propone any exception or defence. Because litiscontestation is made be admission of the libell to probation, and swa stops … all defences to be proponed thereafter, except the samine be emergent, or of new comeand to knawledge Ib. 115 b.
Litiscontestation … is … made quhen in judgment the defender denies the libell and ane terme is granted for proving therof 1631 Justiciary Cases I. 155.
Ane witnes man be sic ane persone as is producet be ane pairtie befoir ane judge eftir litiscontestatioun maid in the caus aither criminall or ciuile for preveing of the matter admittit to probatioun a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 47.
Ane matter being once referred to the knowledge of ane inqueist, is past litiscontestation Ib. 250.
Found that efter litiscontestation (i.e. quhen the defender hes proponed ane peremptor quhilk is admitted and found relevant) the persewar may not pas from that instance, albeit na terme be taken for probatione therof 1681 Stair Inst. iv . xxxix. § 1.
By litis-contestation with us is meant a judicial act of process for proving such points by either party as the judge determines to be relevant See also c1575 Balfour Pract. 333, 339, 14.. Skene Acts (1597) Table s.v., a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 250–1, 1681 Stair Inst. iv. xxxix, xl. and Dickinson in 1515-22 Fife Sheriff Ct. 316.(1) 1456 Hay I. 276/8.
Bot and it war a thing done before the prince or his leutenant … and gage gevin and day and place sett, it mycht nocht be revokit … but leve of the prince … .For the gage of that bataill is a libell in court ordynare. And fra litiscontestatioun be, the plede is begunnyn, etc. And than may it nocht be left but leve of the juge and accordaunce of partis 1500 Acta Conc. II. 450.
That he denyit that he was aire til his grant[schir] of the landis of Mureith and that litis-contestacione was made betuex thir partiis in thir twa articlis 1518 Fife Sheriff Ct. 125.
Thai nowthirane grantand nore denyand the samyn nore makand litiscontestacione as the law requiryt eftir the stile of court 1520 Ib. 181.
The jugis repellit thaim to hef ony warandar because thai denyit the precept uterly & enterit in to pley be litiscontestacion maid ore [= before] that thai askit thar warandar 1531–2 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 53.
The exceptiones proponit be the said Jhone ar declinatouris quhilkis suld hef beyne proponit in the begynnyng of the play befoyr litis contestatione and the resait of vitnes thairintill 1583 Reg. Privy C. III. 611. 1587 Acts III. 446/1. 1592 Douglas Corr. 244.
Litiscontestatioun was past … in the same caus 1597 Crim. Trials II. 13.
Thair is litescontestatioune maid in this caus aganis thame all. The aduocat ansueres, thair is na litiscontestatioune maid, vnto the tyme an assysour be suorne. Ansuerit be the pannell, that the repelling of the defenssis and proceiding to the electioun of the inqueist and proponing of the objectiounis aganis said persones, is nocht litescontestatioune 1621 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 188. 1631 Justiciary Cases I. 163. a1633 Hope Major Pract. I. 114.
Since litiscontestation the said Christian had denuded herself in favours of one Robert Huntar Ib. II. 26.
Act dischargeing all bookeing and extracting of interloquitors till aither litiscontestation pas, or decreit be given 1683 Mackintosh Letters Two Cent. 110.
Regularly, witnesses upon points of probation should be [summoned] by a diligence after litiscontestation in the cause(2) Common in mandates of procuratory: 1500 Acta Conc. II. 473.
Committand to my sadis procuratouris … my full plane power … apone my behalff til compere … to ansuere to the sade summondis … myne absence til excuse, litiscontestacione to mak, the aith of suthfastnes in my saule til swere [etc.] 1504 Stirling Chart. 68, 1508–9 Ib. 74, etc. 1568 Lennox Mun. 274. 1569 Q. Mary Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lix. 1570 Reg. Morton I. 69.

b. Act of litiscontestation, the judicial act admitting a case to proof. 1606 Reg. Privy C. VII. 170.
Ane act of litiscontestatione in commoun and summar causes, for every through … 20s. and in matters of contentious disputatione heard in presence of the haill Lords, the pryce of the act of litiscontestatione to be at the discretion of the pairty 1611 Scrymgeour Invent. (S.R.S.) 8.
Act of litiscontestatioun of the redemptioun persewit be the constabill aganis Cristiane Scrymgeour and James Scrymgeour 1620 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 177.
Thay wald … abyde be the act of litis contestation alredie past befoir the … previe counsall 1620 Grant Chart. 326.
Our act of litiscontestatioun being pronunceit … being buikit and extractit, at quhilk tyme aduocatis fauour keithit was rememberit 1661 Lauder Notices Affairs I. 2.
In a decreit of reduction of an infeftment, the defender is onlie liable fra the act of litiscontestation, if sentence follow theiron 1663 Aberd. Council Lett. IV. 242.
Ane act of litiscontestatione past in the cause in favoures of the maister of kirkworke heirwith produced