The Law Courts of Medieval England

Book excerpt: Originally published in 1973 The Law Courts of Medieval England looks at law courts as the most developed institutions existing in the medieval times. Communities crystallized upon them and the governments worked through them. This book describes the scope and procedures of the different courts, appointment of the judges, the beginnings of civil and criminal courts, the origin of the jury system and other aspects of the modern legal system. It is all shown by an analysis of actual reports of court cases of the time, giving a vivid picture of the life of the English people as well as of the ways of the professional lawyers, no less intricate than they are today.