WOLSEY’S LEGAL REFORMS

SUCCESSES

• ensured courts accessible to poor. determined that whether rich or poor the guilty must be punished.

• strengthened star chamber - encouraged it to hear cases of misconduct by nobility

• encouraged commoners to bring complaints to chancery court - increased capacity of courts to hear cases - more justice served

• court of requests - “poor man’s court”

• court of chancery - dealt with legal disputes

• court of star chamber - criminal cases

FAILURES

• huge backlog of cases due to increased capacity and commoners coming to seek justice

• started number of schemes to reform law, failed to see through

• used law against those he held grudges towards - DoB executed, Lucas sent to jail

• guilty of abuses of church (absenteeism, two kids)

• demanded loans from 200k people. wasn’t enough, amicable grant asked parliament for £800k, only £300k raised through tax. had to then ask church, took 1/6 laity 1/3 clergy wealth, widespread opposition

fill me in!

fill me in!