Proceedings in Courts of Justice Act 1730
Encyclopedia
The Proceedings in Courts of Justice Act 1730 (4 Geo II. c. 26) was an Act
of the Parliament of Great Britain
which made English
(instead of Law French
and Latin
) the obligatory language for use in the courts of England and in the court of exchequer
in Scotland. The Act followed a medieval law from 1362 (the Pleading in English Act 1362
), which had made it permissible to debate cases in English, but all written records had continued to be in Latin. It was amended shortly later to extend it to the courts in Wales, and to exempt from its provisions the "court of the receipt of his Majesty's exchequer" in England. It never applied to cases heard overseas in the court of admiralty.
The Act was introduced by the then Lord Chancellor
, Lord King
, and came into force on 25 March 1733. It was repealed by the Civil Procedure Acts Repeal Act 1879.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
which made English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
(instead of Law French
Law French
Law French is an archaic language originally based on Old Norman and Anglo-Norman, but increasingly influenced by Parisian French and, later, English. It was used in the law courts of England, beginning with the Norman Conquest by William the Conqueror...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
) the obligatory language for use in the courts of England and in the court of exchequer
Court of Exchequer (Scotland)
The Court of Exchequer was formerly a distinct part of the court system in Scotland, with responsibility for administration of government revenue and judicial matters relating to customs and excise, revenue, stamp duty and probate...
in Scotland. The Act followed a medieval law from 1362 (the Pleading in English Act 1362
Pleading in English Act 1362
The Pleading in English Act 1362 , often rendered Statute of Pleading, was an Act of the Parliament of England. The Act complained that because the French language was much unknown in England, the people therefore had no knowledge of what is being said for them or against them in the courts, which...
), which had made it permissible to debate cases in English, but all written records had continued to be in Latin. It was amended shortly later to extend it to the courts in Wales, and to exempt from its provisions the "court of the receipt of his Majesty's exchequer" in England. It never applied to cases heard overseas in the court of admiralty.
The Act was introduced by the then Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
, Lord King
Peter King, 1st Baron King
Peter King, 1st Baron King PC, FRS was an English lawyer and politician, who became lord chancellor of England.-Life:He was born in Exeter in 1669....
, and came into force on 25 March 1733. It was repealed by the Civil Procedure Acts Repeal Act 1879.
See also
- Ordinance of Villers-CotterêtsOrdinance of Villers-CotterêtsThe Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts is an extensive piece of reform legislation signed into law by Francis I of France on August 10, 1539 in the city of Villers-Cotterêts....
, French law mandating legal use of French, rather than Latin