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“Statutory Interpretation in Medieval Law” by Professor Richard H. Helmholz, The University of Chicago Law School
DeLloyd J. Guth Lecture on Legal History: Professor Richard Helmholz Robson Hall welcomes one of North America’s most distinguished legal historians. Professor Helmholz came to the University of Chicago Law School in 1981 with an AB in French Literature (Princeton), a Ph.D. in medieval history (Berkeley) and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. His colleagues there have included Richard Posner, Barack Obama, Martha Nussbaum, Richard Epstein and Brian Leiter. He teaches the law of property, natural resources and legal history but is best known internationally as the expert in relating Roman and Canon laws to the development of Common Law, including our Anglo-Canadian system. His lecture explores how courts interpret and apply legislation, comparing current Canadian approaches with those existing in the Roman and Canon laws flourishing during Shakespeare’s lifetime. Is there ever a plain meaning for a statute? What is the role of legislative intent for different times and places? His context will be medieval law and the discernible rules that live on into the 21st century and at the Supreme Court of Canada. This talk took place on March 23rd 2017.