Legal Procedure and Practice in Medieval Denmark

One of the myriad effects of the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215 was legal reform throughout Europe. In this thorough and fascinating study, the theory, and especially, the practice of law in medieval Denmark (up to the Koldingske Recess of 1558) are described. The first section presents an overview of Danish political and legal history, the historiography of medieval Danish legal history, and the Roman-canonical procedure practiced throughout Europe, including in Denmark. The remainder of the volume presents an in-depth history of procedures followed in the provincial and district courts (landsting and herredsting), with close attention to primary materials, and descriptions of individual cases, social factors, salaries, and the role of the king, as well as comparison with procedures elsewhere in Europe. Admirable for its depth of research and breadth of coverage, this volume will be of interest to students and scholars of medieval law and culture. Annotation c2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Per Andersen, Ph.D. (2005) in Law, Aarhus University, is Associate Professor of Law at Aarhus University. He has, among different areas, published extensively on the legal history of Medieval Denmark.