Market overt facts for kids
Market overt (also known as marché ouvert, which is Law French for "open market") was an old English law. It was about what happened when someone bought stolen items in a public market.
This rule started a long time ago, in the Middle Ages. It decided who truly owned stolen goods if they were sold in a specific way. While this rule is no longer used in England and Wales, it is still a valid law in some other places, like Hong Kong and British Columbia.
What Was Market Overt?
Normally, if someone sells something that was stolen, the buyer does not truly own it. The original owner still has the right to get it back. This is based on a rule that says you cannot sell something you do not own.
However, the 'market overt' rule was different. If stolen items were sold openly in special, approved markets between sunrise and sunset, the buyer became the true owner. The law did not allow anyone to question where the goods came from.
This rule made sense centuries ago because people did not travel far. If something was stolen, it was most likely to be sold in a local market. The law expected the original owner to check their local market on market day. If they did not, they were seen as not being careful enough.
When Was Market Overt Abolished?
The 'market overt' rule was officially ended in England and Wales in 1995. This happened because of a law called the Sale of Goods (Amendment) Act 1994. This new law specifically removed the 'market overt' rule from English law.
A Real-Life Example
One famous market where 'market overt' applied was Bermondsey Market in south London. In the early 1990s, before the law was abolished, some valuable paintings were stolen from Lincoln's Inn. These paintings were by famous artists from the 1700s. They were later sold for very low prices (less than £100 each) from an outdoor stall at Bermondsey Market.
Because they were sold in a 'market overt', the people who bought them were allowed to keep them. This showed how powerful the old rule was. Even if items were stolen, a buyer could become the legal owner if the sale happened under the 'market overt' conditions.
