Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon - Law Quotes

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The liberty of the press has always been, and has justly been, a favourite topic with Englishmen. They have looked at it with jealousy whenever it has been invaded; and though a licenser was put over the press, and was suffered to exist for some years after the coming of William, and after the revolution, yet the reluctant spirit of English liberty called for a repeal of that law; and from that time to this it has not been shackled and limited more than it ought to be.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
We must not, by any whimsical conceits supposed to be adapted to the altering fashions of the times, overturn the established law of the land: it descended to us as a sacred charge, and it is our duty to preserve it.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
I have been reminded that I sit here as counsel for the defendant. I certainly do so, so far as to interpose between him and the counsel for the prosecution, and to see that no improper use of the law is made against him, and that no improper evidence is given to the jury: but the Judge has another task to perform, which is that of assisting the jury in the administration of justice.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
No person is less disposed than I am to accommodate the law to the particular convenience of the case: but I am always glad when I find the strict law and the justice of the case going hand in hand together.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
There are many situations in life, and particularly in the commercial world, where a man cannot by any diligence inform himself of the degree of credit which ought to be given to the persons with whom he deals; in which cases he must apply to those whose sources of intelligence enable them to give that information. The law of prudence leads him to apply to them, and the law of morality ought to induce them to give the information required.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
Though this motion for a new trial is an application to the discretion of the Court, it must be remembered that the discretion to be exercised on such an occasion is not a wild but a sound discretion, and to be confined within those limits within which an honest man, competent to discharge the duties of his office, ought to confine himself. And that discretion will be best exercised by not deviating from the rules laid down by our predecessors; for the practice of the Court forms the law of the Court.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
He had no right to take the law into his own hands.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
Sitting in a Court of law, I can receive no evidence but what comes under the sanction of an oath.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
No stops are ever inserted in Acts of Parliament, or in deeds; but the Courts of law, in construing them, must read them with such stops as will give effect to the whole.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
It is our duty to take care that persons in pursuing their own particular interests do not transgress those laws which were made for the benefit of the whole community.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
The wishes of every human man are, that guilt may not be fixed upon any man; but I confess I am one of those who have not the weakness—which weakness, a Judge at least, and a jury, must get rid of, before they fit themselves to fill the respective stations which they are to fill in the administration of the justice of the country— I say, therefore, I am not one of those who wish under false compassion, inconsistent with the administration of criminal justice, that a person on whom guilt is fairly fixed, should escape the punishment which the law annexes to his guilt.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
It is a rule that those who come into a Court of justice to seek redress, must come with clean hands, and must disclose a transaction warranted by law.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
There are certain irregularities which are not the subject of criminal law. But when the criminal law happens to be auxiliary to the law of morality, I do not feel any inclination to explain it away.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
All laws stand on the best and broadest basis which go to enforce moral and social duties.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
It is a maxim in our law that a plaintiff must shew that he stands on a fair ground when he calls on a Court of justice to administer relief to him.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
A Court of equity can mould interests differently from a Court of law; and can give relief in cases where a Court of law cannot.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
With regard to the construction of statutes according to the intention of the legislature, we must remember that there is an essential difference between the expounding of modern and ancient Acts of Parliament. In early times the legislature used (and I believe it was a wise course to take) to pass laws in general and in few terms; they were left to the Courts of law to be construed so as to reach all the cases within the mischief to be remedied. But in modern times great care has been taken to mention the particular cases in the contemplation of the legislature, and therefore the Courts are not permitted to take the same liberty in construing them as they did in expounding the ancient statutes.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
The common law, though not to be found in the written records of the realm, yet has been long well known. It is coeval with civilised society itself, and was formed from time to time by the wisdom of man. Good sense did not come with the Conquest, or at any other one time, but grew and increased from time to time with the wisdom of mankind.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
Courts of equity make their decrees so as to arrive at the justice of the case without violating the rules of law.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
The popish religion is now unknown to the law of this country.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon
It is of great importance that the laws by which the contracts of so numerous and so useful a body of men as the sailors are supposed to be guided, should not be overturned.

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon