This website does not contain information about the criminal proceedings at the Old Bailey. This website simply reviews the Old Bailey Online website. To visit the real site, please go to www.oldbaileyonline.org

Historical Background to the Proceedings of the Old Bailey

The Old Bailey Courthouse, which is also known as Justice Hall or the Sessions House, was named by the name of the street where it was situated, off the Newgate Street, next to the Newgate Prison, on the western side of London city. As time has passed, the building has been regularly modified and rebuilt in such ways which portrayed and influenced the changes in the criminal trials and can clearly be seen in the historical background.

Historical background of 18th century proceedings

All criminal trials history of England held during the end of the seventeenth century till the beginning of the twentieth century were not at all similar to those we see today. Trials were very quick, lawyers were not regularly present, all prosecutors, jurors and judges practiced considerable discretion about how they all interpreted law. The eighteenth century saw changes in trial procedures and change was more visible during 1820s, which can be seen in the courts historical background.

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