The Trial of an Action of Trespass in the Court of Common Pleas..

1822. Clifford's Inn Seeks an Exemption from Poor Rates [Trial]. Hickin, John. The Trial of an Action of Trespass in the Court of Common Pleas, Guildhall, Before the Right Honorable Lord Chief Justice Dallace and a Special Jury, On the 28th of July, 1821, Between John Allen, Esq., Plaintiff, And Frederick Waller and John Shaw, Overseers of the Poor of St. Dunstan's in the West, Defendants, Respecting the Liability of the Honorable Society of Clifford's Inn to Payment of Rates for the Relief of the Poor; To Which are Prefixed Observations on the Liability of Places Usually Termed Extra Parochial, Including the Inns of Court and Chancery, To Payment of Poor Rates. London: Printed for Joseph Butterworth and Son, 1822. [viii], lxxxix, [1], 79 pp. Octavo (8-1/2" x 5-1/4"). Near-contemporary pebbled cloth, institutional name and seal to boards, rebacked retaining existing spine with gilt title, endpapers renewed. Faint dampstain to upper outside corner of rear board, light rubbing to extremities, light wear to corners, library bookplate to front pastedown. Light toning to interior, occasional light foxing, faint dampstain to upper outside corner of first three leaves, early underlining and annotations in several places, a few affected by trimming, ownership signature (of John Jopson) to title page, which has a small ink library stamp along with a few other leaves. $450. * Only edition. Extra-parochial areas, such as universities and the Inns of Court, were geographically defined areas considered to be outside of ecclesiastical or civil parishes and thus exempt from certain payments such as tithes or poor rates. As these areas became populated, it became increasingly difficult to provide the governance and assistance to residents that parishes traditionally maintained. In 1822, Clifford's Inn sued after being assessed a poor rate. It was determined by the court that Clifford's Inn was functioning as part of the parish of St. Dunstan's in the West, and the case was dismissed as a nonsuit. OCLC locates 5 copies of this title, 3 in law libraries (Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Social Law). Sweet & Maxwell, A Legal Bibliography of the British Commonwealth 2:165.