Even a cursory glance at this four-part series yields a host of "Wow, I didn't know that!" insights. It is clear that the "state of the law courts" has been a source of considerable public grumbling, perhaps partly because the British judicial system was, at the time, the most expensive in the world. Imagine a system in which the accused is not entitled to "counsel" (so much for having a court-appointed lawyer), is not entitled to speak for himself (he's a suspect, and so cannot testify on his own behalf!), and is not entitled to appeal the decision of the court!

• Part I: The State of the Law Courts
• Part 2: The County Court
• Part 3: The Bar
• Part 4: The Criminal Courts