In English
criminal law,
attainder or
attinctura was the metaphorical "stain" or "corruption of blood" which arose from being condemned for a serious
capital crime (
felony or
treason), without
judicial trial. It entailed losing not only one's life, property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs. Both men and women condemned of capital crimes could be attainted.