My British Empire

Common law is popular in the UK. 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.

In other words, it is not a written code, which is different from the Chinese civil law system.

Originally, before the Norman Conquest in England, there were all kinds of judicial trials, 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 penis 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, then 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 other 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.

As a result, the national code, the tribunal, the local and central courts, and the body of judges who shared their knowledge and experience were formally formed in England.

And all this, with the establishment of the royal court in Scotland, this custom 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 has attracted the attention of the entire Scots.

What the common people are concerned about is whether Field, a weak commoner, can win this case against the powerful baron.

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

First, a grand jury of twelve 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 was naturally not Baron Runier. The butler could only stand there with a big belly, expressionless, but his fluttering eyes revealed 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 was Field. Field had a serious expression on his face, and he was 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 men, and then swung his hammer to announce the opening of the court.

Then, the lawyers on both sides began to debate.

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

From the above, we believe that the land should belong to Baron Runier! "

The lawyer invited by His Excellency the Baron was in his forties, experienced and seasoned, and seemed not to be trifled with.

Field, on the other hand, can only hire 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 are 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).

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 matter of routine. This debate was not intense. To Field's surprise, he won.

Your 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 Baron Runier's side will lose the case of land occupation by Baron Runier this time, and the land that has been occupied will be returned in full. Moreover, Baron Runier will pay the trial fee of 20 pounds!"

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 the court fee was paid.

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

But 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, it was embarrassing for the nobles to be 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 nobles, the royal court gradually became the main force of the Scottish judiciary, and the judicial power of the nobles 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.