Presumed Innocent Until Proven Guilty

Garrow’s Law is a recent BBC legal drama series inspired by the life of barrister William Garrow and based on real legal cases from the late 18th century, as recorded in the Old Bailey Proceedings. Garrow, through his aggressive crimial defense work, was an important contributor to the evolution of the modern adversarial system. He is credited with coining the English phrase “presumed innocent until proven guilty” used in common law.  The dvds for Garrow’s Law, Series 1, are available in the Law Library DVD Collection.  Check it or another DVD out for Spring Break!

In the new book Garrow’s Law: the BBC Drama Revisited, Garrow biographer John Hostettler explores the historic legal aspects of the series in more detail. The book can be found temporarily on display in the Law Library DVD Collection.