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In Roman law. Anciently a species of commission granted by the comitia to one or more persons for the purpose of inquiring into some crime or public offense and reporting thereon. In later times, the qucestio came to exercise plenary criminal jurisdiction, even to pronouncing sentence, and then was appointed periodical- ly, and eventually became a permanent commission or regular criminal tribunal, and was then called "quccstio perpetua." See Maine, Anc. Law, 360-372. In medieval law. The question; the torture; inquiry or inquisition by inflicting the torture.