Royal justices were an innovation in the law reforms of the
Angevin kings of England
The Angevins (; "from County of Anjou, Anjou") were a royal house of French origin that ruled England in the 12th and early 13th centuries; its monarchs were Henry II of England, Henry II, Richard I of England, Richard I and John, King of Engla ...
. Royal justices were roving officials of the king, sent to seek out notorious robbers and murderers and bring them to justice.
The first important step dates from the twelfth century, when royal justice was established with the effective power to define and defend the civil rights of the individual-such as they then were--on the basis, not of local custom, but of the common law of the land.
(Page 11).
See also
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Justice in Eyre
In English law, the justices in eyre were the highest magistrates, and presided over the ''court of justice-seat'', a triennial court held to punish offenders against the forest law and enquire into the state of the forest and its officers ('' eyr ...
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Assize of Clarendon
The Assize of Clarendon was an act of Henry II of England in 1166 that began a transformation of English law and led to trial by jury in common law countries worldwide, and that established assize courts.
Prior systems for deciding the winning ...
References
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