The United States Constitutional History through the Barristers and Political Theories of the Middle Temple Inn of Court

Journal Jurisprudence Vol. 18, 2013

7 Pages Posted: 24 Aug 2020

See all articles by Allen E. Shoenberger

Allen E. Shoenberger

Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Date Written: 2013

Abstract

This article examines the effect of Middle Templars on American law from the early ages of the colonies to the present day Supreme Court leadership. It argues that the stamp of Middle Temple ideals such as representative democracy, the right to a jury trial, and a deep distrust of excesses of power continue to mark American jurisprudence today because Middle Templars helped shape American law, most notably as signatories of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. This article explores the different roles of Middle Templars from defending the rights of colonists against the crown during the pre-revolutionary period to proposing a motion in Congress in 1786 for the reorganization of the government, leading to the 1787 U.S. Constitution. It asserts that English legal structures and principles were woven into the U.S. legal system through the leadership of Middle Templars from the early days of the colonies and persist to the present day.

Keywords: Middle Temple, Constitutional Law, Legal History, Anglo-American Law, Colonial Law

JEL Classification: K00, K19

Suggested Citation

Shoenberger, Allen E., The United States Constitutional History through the Barristers and Political Theories of the Middle Temple Inn of Court (2013). Journal Jurisprudence Vol. 18, 2013, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3655587

Allen E. Shoenberger (Contact Author)

Loyola University Chicago School of Law

25 E. Pearson
Chicago, IL 60611
United States

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