This course traces the main stages in the history of English criminal law, from medieval forms of judgment to the transformations of the modern era. It focuses on understanding the evolution of judicial institutions, means of defense, and the role of those involved in trials, as well as the various offenses and penalties applied. The approach emphasizes historical perspective in order to understand the gradual construction of the foundations of contemporary criminal law.
The educational objectives are as follows:
- to understand the origins and evolution of the main institutions of criminal law in England;
- to analyze the role of the trial (jury, evidence, special courts) in the construction of criminal justice;
- to study the evolution of rules of evidence and defenses in criminal trials.