Legal Definitions - Mr. Denman's Act

Definition: Mr. Denman's Act is a law that was passed in England in 1828. It is also known as Denman's Act(2). This law allowed people who were accused of a crime to give evidence in their own defense. Before this law, people accused of a crime were not allowed to speak in court.

Example: Before Mr. Denman's Act, if someone was accused of stealing, they could not speak in court to say that they did not steal anything. But after the law was passed, they could give evidence in their own defense. For example, if someone was accused of stealing a loaf of bread, they could say that they did not steal it and that they were somewhere else at the time of the theft.

Explanation: The example illustrates how Mr. Denman's Act allowed people who were accused of a crime to defend themselves in court. It gave them the right to speak and present evidence in their own defense, which was not possible before the law was passed. This law helped to make the legal system fairer and more just for everyone.