Law, Debt, and Merchant Power

"This book is admirably accurate about the ways the law actually worked in practice, and refreshingly careful to avoid anachronism and over-reach. Muir demonstrates an impressive knowledge of eighteenth-century judicial procedures, and he offers a persuasive analysis of colonial legal culture." -- Jerry Bannister, Department of History, Dalhousie University "Law, Debt, and Merchant Power is a path breaking analysis of how civil law was used in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Muir's meticulous analysis of civil suits illustrates how important the law was and how bourgeois merchants shaped the administration of law to their needs." -- Elizabeth Mancke, Department of History, University of New Brunswick

In the early history of Halifax (1749-1766), debt litigation was extremely common. In Law, Debt, and Merchant Power, JamesMuir offers an extensive analysis of the civil cases of the time as well as the reasons behind their frequency.

In the early history of Halifax (1749-1766), debt litigation was extremely common. People from all classes frequently used litigation and its use in private matters was higher than almost all places in the British Empire in the 18^th century.

In Law, Debt, and Merchant Power, JamesMuir offers an extensive analysis of the civil cases of the time as well as the reasons behind their frequency. Muir’s lively and detailed account of the individuals involved in litigation reveals a paradoxical society where debtors were also debt-collectors. Law, Debt, and Merchant Power demonstrates how important the law was for people in their business affairs and how they shaped it for their own ends.