UK Law

Author: Danny W.

  • Matthew Hale

    Hale, Sir Matthew Introduction to Matthew Hale Matthew Hale (1609-76), English jurist and statesman, born in Alderley, Gloucestershire, and educated at Magdalen College, University of Oxford, and Lincoln's Inn. He was called to the bar in 1637 and acted as defense counsel at the trials of […]

  • Liberalism

    Liberalism: Modern Liberalism: Introduction to Liberalism In England in the 17th century, during the Great Rebellion, Englishmen in the New Model Army of Parliament began to debate liberal ideas concerning extension of the suffrage, parliamentary rule, the responsibilities of government, and […]

  • Criminal Courts Structure

    The Structure of the Courts: Criminal Introduction to Criminal Courts Structure The most numerous courts in England and Wales are the magistrates' courts, where justices of the peace, or magistrates, sit. Most magistrates are lay people who sit on a bench of three with a legally qualified […]

  • Feminism

    British Political and Social Thought: Socialism and Feminism Introduction to Feminism The revolutionary socialist ideology of German political philosopher Karl Marx had very little influence in Britain, even though Marx spent much of his adult life in London. Much more important in shaping […]

  • Faculty Of Advocates

    Introduction to Faculty Of Advocates Faculty Of Advocates, professional organization for Scottish advocates, or attorneys (barristers). It was incorporated in 1532 under Scotland's King James V (1513-1542). (1) Resources Notes and References Information about Faculty Of Advocates in the […]

  • English Revolution

    British Political and Social Thought: The Constitutional Crisis and the English Revolution Introduction to English Revolution After Elizabeth I died in 1603, James I became the first of the Stuarts to ascend the English throne. The Stuarts had ruled Scotland since 1371. James and his […]

  • Jeremy Bentham

    Introduction to Jeremy Bentham Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), British philosopher, economist, and jurist, who founded the doctrine of utilitarianism. He was born in London on February 15, 1748. A prodigy, he was reading serious treatises at the age of three, playing the violin at age five, and […]

  • English Poor Laws

    History of Welfare: The English Poor Laws Introduction to English Poor Laws The English Poor Laws, a system set up by the government of England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, attempted to establish a clear public responsibility for care of the poor. Under these laws, government […]

  • Governor-General

    Introduction to Governor-General Governor-General, representative of the British sovereign in those countries of the Commonwealth of Nations that do not have another head of state. The governor-general carries out the functions of the Crown in the absence of the monarch. (1) Resources Notes […]

  • Guildford Four

    Introduction to Guildford Four Guildford Four, four Irish victims of a miscarriage of justice who spent 14 years in prison convicted of terrorist bombings of pubs in the southeastern England towns of Guildford and Woolwich. They were convicted in 1974 and released in 1989 when an investigation […]

  • John Austin

    Introduction to John Austin John Austin (1790-1859), British legal scholar. Austin was influential in developing the theory of analytical jurisprudence. Born in London, England, he became a barrister in 1818, but he was not well suited to the work and his practice was unsuccessful. In 1826 he […]

  • John Howard

    Howard John (social reformer) Introduction to John Howard John Howard (1726-1790), British social reformer, who was instrumental in obtaining the passage by Parliament in 1774 of two penal reform acts that improved sanitary conditions and health care in prisons. Later, Howard was appointed […]

  • John Locke

    British Political and Social Thought: John Locke Introduction to John Locke In 1688 Parliament triumphed in the Glorious Revolution, securing the division of power between the throne and the legislature. John Locke, in his Second Treatise on Civil Government (1690), best captured the […]

  • John Stuart Mill

    Introduction to John Stuart Mill John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), British philosopher-economist. He had a great impact on 19th-century British thought, not only in philosophy and economics but also in the areas of political science, logic, and ethics. See also Thematic Essay: British Political […]

  • Liberal Party

    Liberal Party (UK) Introduction to Liberal Party Liberal Party (UK), in Britain, political party, formed by the coalition of the Whigs and Radicals about 1830 and advocating reform on constitutional lines. Once a major political force, the party has undergone a decline in the 20th century. […]