Medieval justice was scrupulous about holding proper trials and careful not to sentence without proof of guilt, but it achieved proof by confession rather than evidence, and confession was routinely obtained by torture.
Medieval justice placed a strong emphasis on conducting proper trials and ensuring that sentences were only delivered when guilt was established. However, the method of proving guilt largely relied on obtaining confessions, rather than gathering substantive evidence. This reliance created a troubling dynamic within the judicial system.
To secure these confessions, torture was commonly utilized, raising significant ethical concerns about the integrity of the justice process. The practice highlighted the darker aspects of medieval law, exposing the underlying flaws in a system that prioritized confessions often extracted under duress over fair and thorough investigation.
