My British Empire

Chapter 541 Royal Court

The common law is popular in the United Kingdom. Common law does not mean that it is generally applicable throughout the country. The main feature of this law is that ordinary people form a judging panel, and judges mainly decide cases based on previous cases, rather than jurisprudence or legislation.

That is to say, it is not a written code, which is different from the Chinese civil law system.

Originally, before the Normandy conquest in England, there were all kinds of judicial trial behaviors, which were very different from place to place.

For example, in the Kent area, compensation for tearing off someone’s hair is 50 shillings; cutting off someone’s ear is 12 shillings; cutting off someone’s thumb is 20 shillings; hurting someone’s **** is compensation for three people, and one person’s payment is equivalent to buying The price of a wife.

In Berkshire, if a suspect is guilty of arson or murder, if 36 people swear to help prove his innocence, he will be acquitted.

In such a society, people who break their promises are betrayed by everyone. One person can call 36 witnesses to swear his innocence, which means that there will be a considerable number of helpers when a dispute occurs. Being respectful is to be respected, and such a person has a strong incentive to maintain his honor.

Things get tricky when both parties swear their innocence.

In some places, when no conclusive evidence is found, the "divine decision" is adopted.

Priests of God's Judgment presided over two methods: one is to let the suspect walk a few steps with a soldering iron in his hand and then apply oil to bandage it. If the wound festers after three days, he is guilty; , the sinking innocence.

Of course, the most famous dueling method is also well-known.

All of this, the chaos of the law, did not conform to the concentration of royal power. In 1154, Henry II succeeded to the throne, and he chose to establish the prestige of the king through laws.

And, in 1166, the Royal Court of Assizes was established, with judges traveling the country to make sure the laws worked well in the county courts, and at the same time imposing fines from the king, and these judges were important ministers to the king, and they looked into how the county courts were working, and there were fines that belonged to the king How many.

Thus, the national code of law, the tribunal, the local and central courts, and the body of judges who share knowledge and experience with each other, were formally formed in England.

And all this, with the establishment of the royal court in Scotland, this habit was also brought to Scotland.

On this day, the trial of Baron Runier's encroachment on the land of ex-soldiers officially started, in the county court of Dumfries.

The opening of the court this time has attracted the attention of the entire Scots.

What the civilians are concerned about is whether Field, a weak civilian, can win this case against the powerful baron.

The nobles don't care about whether they win this time, they care about what will happen in the end, and hope to control it.

First, a grand jury of twelve members decides whether to appeal.

Of course, this went smoothly under the arrangement of the royal court.

The Royal Court is further divided into the Throne Court (for criminal cases), the Civil Court and the Chessboard Court (for financial management cases). Due to the judicial reform, these three courts are combined into one court with different judges.

When it came to the trial stage, the judge of the chessboard court wore a hood and conducted the trial expressionlessly.

Under the stage, the defendant is naturally not Baron Runier. The butler can only stand there with a big belly, expressionless, but his frantic eyeballs reveal his panic.

It was the first time for him to come to the royal court, especially the impeccable appearance of these judges, which made him feel flustered.

The plaintiff next to him is Field. Field has a serious expression on his face. He is not sure about this case.

After all, he was just a retired soldier, and he was facing Baron Runier, a noble lord.

Compared with him, he is still too weak.

But he knew that outside the court, hundreds of people were supporting him, and he would definitely win.

The justice wore glasses, glanced at the two, and then swung his hammer to announce the opening of the court.

Then, the lawyers on both sides began to argue.

"Your Honor, according to Case No. 99 thirty years ago...

As mentioned above, we believe that the land should be owned by Baron Runier! "

The lawyer invited by His Excellency the Baron is in his forties, experienced and seasoned, and looks not easy to mess with.

Field can only invite young lawyers from the Law School, which are cheap and easy to use.

But although he is a young man, he still talks freely, without being nervous or abnormal, and his job ethics is very good.

In the thirteenth century, lawyers were born. The four major law firms have been training qualified barristers, namely the Law School (public), London Temple Church (the church), Gray's Law School (private), Lincoln's Inn (Private).

The defendant-plaintiff then engaged in a heated and slobbering argument before lawyers for both parties began to argue.

However, it seemed that it was just a routine, and this debate was not intense. To Field's surprise, he won.

His Excellency stood up, the jury and everyone else stood up together, and began to listen to the judge's final announcement:

"This court announces that the Baron Runier's case of land occupation has been tried. Baron Runier has lost the case, and the land that has been occupied will be returned in full. Moreover, the trial fee of ￡20 will be paid by Baron Runier!"

At the end, the justice showed a smile, and he didn't know whether he was happy because the common people defeated the nobles, or because he had court fees.

Field finally smiled happily. This is a victory for the common people.

The butler withdrew his head and retreated unwillingly. He was thinking about how to explain to the baron.

When the news came out, the Scottish civilians showed joyful expressions. This was not just Field's personal victory, but a victory for the common people.

Although the nobles didn't care about this victory, the nobles lost face when they were defeated by the commoners.

After half a month, after all the court judges, rulers, and nobles waited, the result was finally released.

One after another, civilians went to the royal court to sue. Of course, no one dared to sue the nobles.

After seeing the benefits of the court over the aristocrats, the royal court gradually became the main force of the Scottish judiciary, and the judicial power of the aristocracy was almost lost every day.

It can be expected that the days of the English nobles are not far away.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Scottish ruler William Selsey submitted an argument to the Scottish Parliament to discuss the long-standing issue of the abolition of serfdom.

"This extremely criminal and outdated vassal system needs to be erased from Scotland, completely and unreservedly abolished, so that Scotland can become a truly civilized country!"

Standing on the rostrum of the parliament, William Selsey made such a deafening voice, which shocked the entire parliament and the whole of Scotland.

(end of this chapter)

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