Common Law and Equity

<1066 : Anglo Saxons unified the country with shires controlled by sheriffs.

1066 : William the 1st took the throne of England. He created the Curia Regis (King's Council)

1154-1189 : Henry the 2nd saw the greatest innovations and growths in the common law. Judges would visit circuits and apply national laws. Where national law and local law shall conlict, national law would prevail.

1189 : Henry the 2nd died on the 2nd of July 1189. Regarded as 'time immemorial'.

1215 : Magna Carta was signed in Runnymede between the barons of Medieval England and King John. It was a series of written promises that the king would govern England and deal with its people according to the customs of the feudal law.

1258 : Provisions of Oxford was passed by the barons to slow down the process of common law which prevented the drafting of new writs.

1285 : Statute of Westminister was passed to allow new writs to be drafted if the circumstances were similar to ones which already existed.

1474 : The king delegated his responsibilities to the Chancellor. Thus, the Court of Chancery ( Court of Equity) was established.

1615 : King ruled in the Earl of Oxford case, where common law and equity conflicted, Equity shall prevail.

1873/75 : The Judiciature Act was passed to allow common law and equity to be administered side by side.