REPORTS (in Law) are relations of the proceedings of courts of justice. They usually contain n statement of the pleadings, the facts, the arguments of counsel, and the judgment of the court ;—tho object being to establish the Law, and prevent conflicting decisions, by pre serving and publishing the judgment of the court, and the grounds upon which it decided the question of law arising in the case.
The earliest reports extant are the ' Year Books.' It is said that some few exist in MS. of the reign of Edward I. and a few broken notes are to be found iu Fitz.herbert's abridgment. A series of these commences, and are now printed, from the reign of Edward H. They were published annually, which explains their name, from the notes of .persons, four in number, according to Lord Coke, who were paid a stipend by the crown for the purpose of committing to writing the proceedings of the courts. These early accounts of cases are very short, abrupt, and often confused, especially from the circumstance that it is frequently difficult to ascertain whether a judge or a counsel is speaking.
The Year-books continue, with occasional interruptions in their series, down to the reign of Henry VIII. The omission during the time of Richard II. has been attempted to be supplied by Bellewe, who 'collected and arranged the cases of that period which had been pre served by other writers. The Year-books are wholly written in Nor man-French;although by the 36 Edw.I11., stat. 1, c. 15, it was enacted that all plculings should be in the English Language, and the entries on the rolls in Latin. This dialect continued indeed to be used as late ns the 18th century ; the last which appeared were those of Levinz and Lutwyehe ; the former in 1702, the latter in 1704. The Year books of later data have more continuity of style and fulness of diecussion; cases are cited, and the decision of the court is given at greater length, with more solemnity and clearness. About the end of the reign of Henry VII. it is probable that the stipend was withdrawn. Only live Year-books exist for the ensuing reign, and none were published after iL Their place was shortly afterwards supplied by reports compiled by private individuals, but subject for some time to the Inspection of the judges, whose testimony to the fitness of the rep.rter is prefixed to the Reports. This however soon became a mere term, as appears by the statement of Lord-Keeper North, who speaks slightingly of the Reports in his time as compared with his favourite Year-books.
During the reign of Henry VIII. and his three successora, Dyer, afterwards chief-justice of the Common Pleas, took notes as a reporter.
Benloe and Italtsan were also reporters in these reigns. In the time of Elizabeth many eminent lawyers reported the proceedings of the courts, and, from the ability with which they acquitted themselves, added to the previously unsettled atate:of the law, the Reports of about this period have acquired very great authority. Anderson, Moore, Leonard, Owen, Coke, and Croke, all lived about this time lint the first primed accounts of eases published by a private hand are those of Edmund Plowden, the first part of which appeared in the year 1571, under the title of ' Commentaries.' A few years afterwards the exe cutors of Dyer published the notes of their testator under the express name of ' Reports,' being the first published under that title. These were followed, in 1601 and 1602, by those of Sir Edward Coke, which, from their excellence, have ever Been dignified by the name of ' The Reports.' During this time reporters did not, as they have done in more modern times, confine themselves to one court. In the same volume are found reports of cases in chancery, in the three superior courts, the court of wands, &c. During the reign of James I., Lord Bacon and Sir Julius Ceesar suggested to the king the appointment of two officers for the purpose of taking notes and minutes of proceedings in the courts. James acceded to the suggestion, and a copy of his ordinance for their appointment, at a salary of 100/. each, is extant. (Rymer's Fcedera,' 15 Jac. I., 1617.) The ordinance does not, however, appear to have been acted upon, and Reports continued to be compiled and published by private hands only.
The English language was first used by reporters about the time of Elizabeth. Lord Coke employed it in his Commentary upon Little ton.' In his preface he states why lie thought it convenient to do so ; and adds that his conduct was not without precedent. From the period of Elizabeth down to the present, lteports have been published of the proceedings in all the courts. Coke, in his day, thought the following distich applicable " Quteritur ut crescent tot magna 'alumina legis ; In promptu cause est, emelt In orbe dolus." This is curious as evidencing the number and fecundity of reporters at that time. North also complains of the great number of Reports.
(Coke's Reports, Preface to part 3; Dugdale's Origines furidieales ; Reeves's History of the English Law.)