Lord Mansfield: Justice in the Age of Reason

by Norman S. Poser

Overview

In the first modern biography of Lord Mansfield (1705-1793), Norman Poser details the turbulent political life of eighteenth-century Britain's most powerful judge, serving as chief justice for an unprecedented thirty-two years. His legal decisions launched England on the path to abolishing slavery and the slave trade, modernized commercial law in ways that helped establish Britain as the world's leading industrial and trading nation, and his vigorous opposition to the American colonists stoked Revolutionary fires. Although his father and brother were Jacobite rebels loyal to the deposed King James II, Mansfield was able to rise through English society to become a member of its ruling aristocracy and a confidential advisor to two kings. Poser sets Mansfield's rulings in historical context while delving into Mansfield's circle, which included poets (Alexander Pope described him as "his country's pride"), artists, actors, clergymen, noblemen and women, and politicians. Still celebrated for his application of common sense and moral values to the formal and complicated English common law system, Mansfield brought a practical and humanistic approach to the law. His decisions continue to influence the legal systems of Canada, Britain, and the United States to an extent unmatched by any judge of the past. An illuminating account of one of the greatest legal minds, Lord Mansfield presents a vibrant look at Britain's Age of Reason through one of its central figures.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780773545328
Publisher:	McGill-Queens University Press
Publication date:	03/02/2015
Pages:	560
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Norman S. Poser is professor emeritus at Brooklyn Law School.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Chronology xiii

Introduction 3

Part 1 Becoming Lord Mansfield

1 Scotland 11

2 Westminster and Oxford 21

3 Lincoln's Inn 36

4 A Rising Lawyer 44

5 Entering Politics 68

6 Law Officer of the Crown 84

7 Murray and the Jacobites 100

8 Attaining the Bench and the Peerage 112

9 The Judge as Politician 120

10 Family Affairs 146

11 The Social Scene 162

Part 2 Justice in the Age of Reason

12 Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench 193

13 Commerce and Industry 220

14 Freedom of the Press 244

15 Crime and Punishment 260

16 Betting and Lending 277

17 Slavery and the Somerset Case 286

18 The American Revolution 301

19 Protecting Authors and Inventors 322

20 Women and Marriage 334

21 Religious Freedom 349

22 The Gordon Riots 360

23 Last Years 376

Epilogue: Lord Mansfield's Legacy 396

Acknowledgments 405

Notes 407

Bibliography 503

Index 523

Editorial Reviews

"In this thorough but highly readable biography, Norman Poser, professor emeritus at Brooklyn Law School, tackles both the life and legacy of this eighteenth century giant." The Gazette (Weekly Journal of the Law Society)


“With meticulous research in sources including the Mansfield archives in Scotland, Poser has produced a brilliantly readable history. Essential.” CHOICE


"A remarkable portrait of both a man and a legal age. I enjoyed the book tremendously, learned so much, and am deeply grateful. A master work." Kent Syverud, Ethan A. H. Shepley Distinguished University Professor, Washington University School of Law


“In this thorough but highly readable biography, Norman Poser, professor emeritus at Brooklyn Law School, tackles both the life and legacy of this eighteenth century giant.”—The Gazette (Weekly Journal of the Law Society)


"[An] engaging biography … Poser offers us a fascinating portrait." Wall Street Journal

From the Publisher