By the early 18th century, colonial legal processes had become more complex and the number of lawsuits increased. As an English colony, Americans relied upon English Common Law and statutes to help them write their own local laws and to guide their legal arguments. Some American lawyers studied law at the Inns of Court in London. Those that did not travel to England still read English legal treatises such as Burrows Reports or Blackstone’s Commentaries. Joseph Barnard of Deerfield, Massachusetts, ordered several English law books through a Boston bookseller in 1772.
Eliot, Samuel. List of Books bought by Joseph Barnard. May 12, 1772. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/l99-173/. Accessed on October 16, 2024.
Please note: Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.