Black's Law Dictionary (2nd edition)dictionaries

Contestatio Litis

In Roman law. Contestation of sult; the framing an Issue; joinder in issue. The formal act of both the parties with which the proceedings in jure were closed when they led to a judicial investigation, and by which the neigh-bors whom the parties brought with them were called to testify. Mackeld. Rom. Law, I 219

Source: Black’s Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)