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Commentaries on the Laws of England. Book 4: Of Public Wrongs

Gelesen von Roy Haines

The Commentaries on the Laws of England by Sir William Blackstone, are a prominent and authoritative 18th century dissertation on the common law of England which not only pertains to that country, but is also at the foundation of the American legal system. They were widely read and a huge influence on America's Founding Fathers and, to this day, are occasionally quoted in U.S. Supreme Court decisions when expounding upon principals of universal and enduring human justice.

The commentaries were divided into four books: On the Rights of Persons, On the Rights of Things, Of Private Wrongs, and Of Public Wrongs.

This fourth and final volume elaborates on the English laws, courts, procedures & punishments regarding the full range of criminal injuries, from misdemeanors on up through murder and high treason. It includes a section dealing with libel and seditious libel, which informed to a great extent the Founders’ understanding of the freedom of the press clause of the First Amendment. - Summary by Roy Haines (16 hr 24 min)

Chapters

Chapter 01: Of the Nature of Crimes, and Their Punishment - Part 1

19:24

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Chapter 01: Of the Nature of Crimes, and Their Punishment - Part 2

23:42

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Chapter 02: Of the Persons Capable of Committing Crimes - Part 1

16:37

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Chapter 02: Of the Persons Capable of Committing Crimes - Part 2

14:30

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Chapter 03: Of Principals and Accessories

14:59

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Chapter 04: Of Offenses Against God and Religion - Part 1

22:21

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Chapter 04: Of Offenses Against God and Religion - Part 2

21:20

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Chapter 04: Of Offenses Against God and Religion - Part 3

16:51

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Chapter 05: Of Offenses Against the Law of Nations

16:54

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Chapter 06: Of High Treason - Part 1

22:25

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Chapter 06: Of High Treason - Part 2

23:54

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Chapter 07: Of Felonies, Injurious to the King’s Prerogative

19:20

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Chapter 08: Of Praemunire - Part 1

17:48

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Chapter 08: Of Praemunire - Part 2

21:47

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Chapter 09: Of Misprisions and Contempts, Affecting the King and Government

17:26

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Chapter 10: Of Offenses Against Public Justice - Part 1

17:50

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Chapter 10: Of Offenses Against Public Justice - Part 2

15:52

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Chapter 11: Of Offenses Against the Public Peace

25:02

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Chapter 12: Of Offenses Against Public Trade

16:43

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Chapter 13: Of Offenses Against the Public Health, the Public Police or Econom…

19:58

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Chapter 13: Of Offenses Against the Public Health, the Public Police or Econom…

16:09

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Chapter 14: Of Homicide - Part 1

23:50

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Chapter 14: Of Homicide - Part 2

16:41

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Chapter 14: Of Homicide - Part 3

22:58

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Chapter 15: Of Offenses Against the Persons of Individuals - Part 1

22:07

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Chapter 15: Of Offenses Against the Persons of Individuals - Part 2

9:52

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Chapter 16: Of Offenses Against the Habitations of Individuals

19:13

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Chapter 17: Of Offenses Against Private Property - Part 1

18:31

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Chapter 17: Of Offenses Against Private Property - Part 2

14:34

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Chapter 17: Of Offenses Against Private Property - Part 3

12:54

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Chapter 18: Of the Means of Preventing Offenses

14:24

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Chapter 19: Of the Courts of Criminal Jurisdiction - Part 1

23:05

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Chapter 19: Of the Courts of Criminal Jurisdiction - Part 2

23:12

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Chapter 20: Of Summary Convictions

19:09

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Chapter 21: Of Arrests

14:15

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Chapter 22: Of Commitment and Bail

10:58

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Chapter 23: Of the Several Modes of Prosecution - Part 1

23:55

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Chapter 23: Of the Several Modes of Prosecution - Part 2

9:59

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Chapter 24: Of Process Upon an Indictment

8:35

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Chapter 25: Of Arraignment, and Its Incidents

19:56

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Chapter 26: Of Plea, and Issue

22:06

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Chapter 27: Of Trial, and Conviction - Part 1

14:44

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Chapter 27: Of Trial, and Conviction - Part 2

17:27

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Chapter 27: Of Trial, and Conviction - Part 3

17:13

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Chapter 28: Of the Benefit of Clergy

23:13

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Chapter 29: Of Judgment, and its Consequences - Part 1

15:36

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Chapter 29: Of Judgment, and its Consequences - Part 2

19:01

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Chapter 30: Of Reversal of Judgment

7:37

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Chapter 31: Of Reprieve, and Pardon

19:42

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Chapter 32: Of Execution

8:32

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Chapter 33: Of the Rise, Progress, and Gradual Improvements, of the Laws of En…

18:35

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Chapter 33: Of the Rise, Progress, and Gradual Improvements, of the Laws of En…

26:21

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Chapter 33: Of the Rise, Progress, and Gradual Improvements, of the Laws of En…

20:35

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Chapter 33: Of the Rise, Progress, and Gradual Improvements, of the Laws of En…

24:55

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