ABSTRACT
The Magna Carta was an embodiment of the expectation of law based on legal codes of the past and a belief in the tradition of justice from the past. Scholars of legal history often specialise by country, as justice was very particular to a nation, while some specialise in certain elements of law, for example, wills. Much justice was dispensed locally in relation to local issues and personalities, and only serious cases were moved to higher courts. The ancient Roman Empire was a significant influence on the legal systems of the late medieval period. Canon Law had its own lawyers, university scholars and courts. While it was similar to Roman law in origin it was much more specific in practice. English Common Law developed especially in the period 1150 to 1350, in response to the growth of royal taxation demands and the expansion of the influence of royal justice across the kingdom in the same period.
