Inns of Court facts for kids
The Inns of Court are special places in London, England. They are like clubs or colleges for barristers. Barristers are a type of lawyer in England and Wales. There are four main Inns of Court: Gray's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, Inner Temple and Middle Temple.
Every barrister must belong to one of these Inns. The Inns help to guide and train their members. They also make sure barristers follow the rules. Each Inn has a library, places to eat, and offices for barristers. They also have a church or chapel. In the past, barristers lived and worked mostly within these areas. Today, many barristers have offices outside the Inns. This is because the legal world has grown a lot.
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History of the Inns of Court
In the 12th and 13th centuries, law was taught in London by church leaders. But in 1218, the Pope said church leaders could not work in regular courts. So, laymen (people who were not church leaders) started teaching law. To protect their schools, King Henry II and King Henry III stopped civil law from being taught in London. Common law lawyers then formed groups, like trade guilds. These groups became the Inns of Court.
For many centuries, starting in the 1300s, the Inns were places where lawyers lived, learned, and worked. Over time, the four main Inns of Court became the training grounds for barristers. Other smaller Inns, called Inns of Chancery, trained solicitors. Solicitors are another type of lawyer.
The four main Inns of Court are:
- The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn
- The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
- The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
- The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn
Lawyers have been in the Temple area since 1320. In 1337, the Temple was split into Inner Temple and Middle Temple. Both were used by lawyers. Lincoln's Inn, the biggest, has records going back to 1422. Gray's Inn's records start in 1569, but teaching began there earlier. In 1620, judges decided all four Inns would be equally important.
In the 16th century, students learned by watching court cases. They also lived and studied together. Before 1642, this training lasted at least seven years. Later, the Inns focused on students eating meals with experienced barristers. This helped students learn from experts. By 1872, students had to pass exams to become barristers.
Inns of Court and Theatre
The Inns of Court were important in the history of English theatre. Many famous writers and playwrights lived there. These included John Donne, Francis Beaumont, and Sir Francis Bacon. Plays were written and performed at the Inns. Some famous plays like Gorboduc were first shown there. Even Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors was performed at an Inn.
Military History
Since 1584, members of the Inns of Court have helped defend England. This tradition continues today. A building in Lincoln's Inn is now home to the Inns of Court & City Yeomanry. This is a special military unit.
Who Belongs to the Inns and How They Are Run
Each of the four Inns of Court has three main types of members. These are students, barristers, and "benchers." The benchers are like the governing body of each Inn. They choose new benchers from experienced barristers. Usually, senior barristers or judges become benchers.
The most senior bencher each year is called the Treasurer. This job lasts for one year. Each Inn also has royal benchers, who are members of the royal family. They can also have honorary benchers, like professors or politicians.
The Inns of Court do not teach all the law courses needed to become a barrister today. Students must pass the Bar Professional Training Course. But the Inns offer extra education and support. All students who want to become barristers must join one of the four Inns. They must also attend special "qualifying sessions." These are often formal dinners with law talks. After completing these, students can be "called to the bar." This is a ceremony where they officially become barristers.
Students can choose which Inn to join. It does not matter much which one they pick in the long run. They might choose an Inn because a friend is a member.
The Inns work together to make sure barristers follow the rules. They have a joint council that handles any problems.
Where the Inns Are Located
The four Inns are close to each other in central London. They are near the Royal Courts of Justice. This is where many important court cases happen.
Middle Temple and Inner Temple are special areas called "liberties." This means they are part of London but run themselves. They are like their own small local governments. These two Inns are next to each other. The closest train station is Temple.
Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn are in the London Borough of Camden. They are not "liberties" like the other two. The closest train station is Chancery Lane.
Each Inn is a large area with many buildings. They have a big hall, a chapel, libraries, and offices for hundreds of barristers. They also have gardens. The layout is similar to a college at Oxbridge (Oxford or Cambridge universities). In the past, barristers lived in these offices. Today, most are just offices, with only a few apartments.
Other Related Inns
Serjeants' Inn
There was another important Inn called Serjeants' Inn. It closed in 1877. Its members were a special group of senior barristers called "serjeants-at-law." They had special rights in some courts. But a new rank, King's Counsel, became more important. The serjeants' special rights were removed, and no new serjeants were appointed. So, the group eventually ended.
In the past, senior judges would join Serjeants' Inn. This meant the main leaders of the four barristers' Inns were mostly barristers. Now, judges stay members of the Inn they joined as students. This means many of the leaders of the Inns today are senior judges.
Inns of Chancery
There were also several Inns of Chancery. These were linked to the main Inns of Court. They included places like Clement's Inn and Staple Inn.
Irish Inns of Court
There is also an Inn of Court of Northern Ireland. In the Republic of Ireland, there is one Inn of Court called the Honorable Society of King's Inns.
American Inns of Court
In the late 1970s, a U.S. judge named Warren Burger helped create Inns of Court in the United States. These were based on the English Inns. In 1985, he started the American Inns of Court Foundation. This group helps create local Inns across the U.S. These American Inns help lawyers learn about good behavior and ethics. They also help them improve their legal skills.
American Inns of Court do not own buildings. They are groups of judges, lawyers, professors, and students. They meet regularly to talk about law and ethics. They often share a meal and have a presentation.
In the U.S., lawyers do not have to join an Inn of Court. Many of the jobs the English Inns do are handled by state bar associations in the U.S. American Inns of Court do not train or license new lawyers.
The American and English Inns are friendly with each other. They have a "Declaration of Friendship." This allows members to visit each other's Inns. There is also a program called the Pegasus Scholarships. This lets young lawyers from England and the U.S. travel to learn about each other's legal systems.
See also
In Spanish: Inns of Court para niños
- King's Inns, the main Inn of Court in Ireland.
- Faculty of Advocates, similar to the Inns of Court in Scotland.
- City Law School, a law school that used to be called the Inns of Court School of Law.
