An Introduction to English Legal History

by Baker, J. H.

• ISBN13: 9780406930538
• ISBN10: 0406930538
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-06
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This book traces, in outline, the development of the principal features of English legal institutions and doctrines from Anglo-Saxon times to the present. The Introduction has become a standard work on the subject. It has now been updated and improved in consequence of the rapid pace of research in legal history over recent years, which has made this new edition a necessity.

Table of Contents

Preface	v
Table of Statutes	xiii
Table of Cases	xxi
Kings and Queens of England since 1066	xliii
Table of Abbreviations	xlv
Part one
Law and Custom in Early Britain	1	(11)
`Communal' Justice	3	(5)
From Communal to Personal Authority	8	(2)
Further Reading	10	(2)
Origins of the Common Law	12	(25)
Regional and Itinerant Royal Justice	14	(3)
Central Royal Justice	17	(5)
Effects on Local Justice	22	(5)
The Boundaries of English Law	27	(7)
Further Reading	34	(3)
The Superior Courts of Common Law	37	(16)
The Resurgence of the King's Bench	41	(6)
The Exchequer of Pleas	47	(2)
Uniformity and Abolition	49	(2)
Further Reading	51	(2)
The Forms of Action	53	(18)
Originating an Action	53	(4)
Types of Original Writ	57	(7)
Judicial Writs	64	(3)
End of the Forms of Action	67	(2)
Further Reading	69	(2)
The Jury and Pleading	71	(26)
From `Proof' to Trial'	72	(4)
Medieval Pleading and Legal Development	76	(5)
The System Transformed	81	(5)
Decline of the Common-Law System	86	(4)
End of the Common-Law System	90	(5)
Further Reading	95	(2)
The Court of Chancery and Equity	97	(20)
The Chancery	99	(6)
Law and Equity	105	(6)
Practical Defects of the later Chancery	111	(2)
Reform and Abolition	113	(2)
Further Reading	115	(2)
The Conciliar Courts	117	(9)
The Court of Star Chamber	117	(2)
The Court of Requests	119	(2)
Regional Conciliar and Equity Courts	121	(1)
The Courts of the Admiral and Marshal	122	(2)
Further Reading	124	(2)
The Ecclesiastical Courts	126	(9)
Effect of the Reformation	130	(2)
Further Reading	132	(3)
Judicial Review of Decisions	135	(20)
Proceedings in Error	136	(2)
Development of the Appeal	138	(5)
The Prerogative Writs	143	(8)
Administrative Law	151	(2)
Further Reading	153	(2)
The Legal Profession	155	(20)
The Medieval Profession	156	(6)
The New Profession	162	(3)
The Judiciary	165	(4)
Civilian Advocates	169	(1)
Legal Education in the Universities	170	(2)
Further Reading	172	(3)
Legal Literature	175	(20)
Glanvill and Bracton	175	(2)
Formularies	177	(1)
Reports of Cases	178	(8)
Treatises	186	(6)
Further Reading	192	(3)
Law Making	195	(28)
The Common Law	196	(6)
Equity and Legal Change	202	(2)
Legislation	204	(8)
Law Reform Movements	212	(8)
Further Reading	220	(3)
Part two
Real Property: Feudal Tenure	223	(25)
Tenure	223	(6)
Feudalism and Land Ownership	229	(8)
The Lord's Rights at Common Law	237	(6)
Further Reading	243	(3)
Table B. Types of property	246	(1)
Table C. Types of tenure	247	(1)
Real Property: Feudalism and Uses	248	(11)
Effect on Feudal Law	252	(6)
Further Reading	258	(1)
Real Property: Inheritance and Estates	259	(21)
Alienation	260	(5)
The Law of Inheritance	265	(4)
Provision for Spouses and New Families	269	(5)
Reversions and Remainders	274	(2)
Further Reading	276	(3)
Table D. Estates in land	279	(1)
Table E. Modes of conveying real property	279	(1)
Real Property: Family Settlements	280	(18)
Remainders and Executory Interests	284	(5)
Powers	289	(1)
Trusts	290	(3)
The Strict Settlement	293	(3)
Further Reading	296	(2)
Other Interests in Land	298	(19)
The Term of Years	298	(8)
Tenancy at Will	306	(1)
Villein Tenure and Copyhold	307	(2)
The Trust as an Interest in Land	309	(2)
Mortgages	311	(4)
Further Reading	315	(2)
Contract: Covenant and Debt	317	(12)
The Action of Covenant	318	(3)
The Action of Debt	321	(5)
Gaps in the Medieval Law	326	(1)
Further Reading	327	(2)
Contract: Assumpsit and Deceit	329	(18)
Breach of Covenant as Trespass	329	(4)
Assumpsit for Nonfeasance	333	(8)
Assumpsit in Lieu of Debt	341	(5)
Further Reading	346	(1)
Contract: Some Later Developments	347	(15)
Elaboration of Contract Law	350	(3)
Privity	353	(2)
Contractual Terms	355	(6)
Further Reading	361	(1)
Quasi-Contract	362	(17)
The Action of Account	363	(2)
Actions on the Case	365	(3)
Indebitatus Assumpsit	368	(7)
A General Principle	375	(2)
Further Reading	377	(2)
Property in Chattels Personal	379	(22)
Modes of Transfer	383	(4)
Termination of Private Property in Chattels	387	(2)
Interests in Chattels	389	(1)
Early Restitutionary Proceedings	390	(1)
Detinue	391	(3)
Trespass and Case for Chattels	394	(3)
Trover and Conversion	397	(3)
Further Reading	400	(1)
Negligence	401	(21)
Trespass Viet Armis and Negligence	402	(4)
Actions on the Case for Negligence	406	(3)
The Tort of Negligence	409	(12)
Further Reading	421	(1)
Nuisance	422	(14)
Remedies for Nuisance	422	(10)
Isolated Occurrences	432	(1)
Common or Public Nuisances	433	(2)
Further Reading	435	(1)
Defamation	436	(12)
Actions on the Case for Words	438	(2)
Attempts to Abate the Flood of Actions	440	(3)
The Scope of Defamation	443	(2)
Libel	445	(2)
Further Reading	447	(1)
Economic Torts	448	(18)
Monopolies	449	(5)
Domestic Relationships	454	(4)
Unfair or Deceptive Competition	458	(1)
Intimidation and Conspiracy	459	(5)
Further Reading	464	(2)
Persons: Status and Liberty	466	(13)
Villein Status	468	(4)
Freedom from Arbitrary Imprisonment	472	(3)
Colonial Slavery and the English Courts	475	(2)
Further Reading	477	(2)
Persons: Marriage and its Consequences	479	(21)
The Law of Marriage	479	(4)
Unity of Person	483	(6)
Bastardy	489	(1)
Divorce	490	(8)
Further Reading	498	(2)
Pleas of the Crown: Criminal Procedure	500	(21)
The Initiation of Criminal Proceedings	502	(5)
The Trial	507	(5)
The Avoidance or Mitigation of Punishment	512	(7)
Further Reading	519	(2)
Pleas of the Crown: The Substantive Criminal Law	521	(18)
Criminal Responsibility	523	(2)
Degrees of Participation	525	(1)
Some Particular Offences	526	(10)
Further Reading	536	(3)
Appendix I Specimen Writs	539	(15)
Original Writs	539	(9)
Judicial Writs	548	(2)
Prerogative Writs	550	(2)
Writ of Summons after 1834	552	(2)
Appendix II Specimen Entries	554	(9)
An Action of Trespass	555	(3)
Proceedings at a Gaol Delivery	558	(5)
Index	563