Before His Passion Had Time to Cool: 'The Unwritten Law of Adulterous Provocation' and Urban Legend

Canadian Journal of Law and Society, Vol. 10, No. 2, Fall 1995, pp. 99-108

11 Pages Posted: 25 Nov 2012

See all articles by Jeffrey Miller

Jeffrey Miller

McGill University (Law-2014); Western Univ. (Law-2009-12); Law and Justice Research Centre

Date Written: 1995

Abstract

This paper investigates the history and intersection of folk belief with actual law concerning the "right" of an aggrieved husband to kill his adulterous wife, and sometimes her lover, upon discovering them in flagrante delicto. It briefly considers the historical relationship of such beliefs (and defences) to those relating to "battered wife" syndrome, and (in terms of folk law or urban legend) to the mouse-in-the-bottle or "Cokelore" cases.

Keywords: Law, defence of provocation, adultery, folk law, urban legend, legal history

Suggested Citation

Miller, Jeffrey, Before His Passion Had Time to Cool: 'The Unwritten Law of Adulterous Provocation' and Urban Legend (1995). Canadian Journal of Law and Society, Vol. 10, No. 2, Fall 1995, pp. 99-108, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2180210

Jeffrey Miller (Contact Author)

McGill University (Law-2014); Western Univ. (Law-2009-12) ( email )

3644 Peel Street
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1W9
Canada

Law and Justice Research Centre ( email )

Toronto, Ontario
Canada

HOME PAGE: http://jeffreymiller.ca

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