Jamail Center for Legal Research
Tarlton Law Library

Ferrière, Claude Joseph de, ca. 1680-ca. 1748.

Ferrière's Dictionnaire de Droit et de Pratique : French Law

Dictionnaire, 1739

Dictionnaire, 1739

Claude Joseph de Ferrière was a well known French jurist, dean of the Faculty of Law in Paris, and a prolific author. He was the son of Claude de Ferrière (1639-1715), also a law professor at Paris and author of many popular legal works. The elder Ferrière published Introduction à la pratique, contenant l'explication des principaux termes de pratiques & de coutume in 1679. It went through numerous editions, and after his death it was taken over by his son Claude Joseph and re-named Introduction à la pratique in 1718, Dictionnaire de Droit et de Pratique in 1734. An immensely popular reference book for the French legal profession, it was re-issued, revised, corrected, and enlarged dozens of times under a series of editors until 1826. The editor of the mid-18th century editions, who is identified as "M.***" on the title pages, is said to be A.G. Boucher d'Argis.

The work includes the etymology of several terms, as well as the origins of several laws and customs. The definitions in the two-volume work are almost always long and quite detailed, often subdivided into complicated categories.

Legal and judicial concerns were mounting in France during the 18th century. There is no doubt that Ferrière was embroiled in the political tension of the century. Legal reforms took on new significance as tensions grew between traditional and more modern measures of reform. A passionate dialogue soon developed between the primary legal reformers of the century, reflected in each others' works. In many cases, Ferriere's own political opinions are woven throughout his definitions: for example, in his discussion of Juge Ecclésiastique, he complained of the vast power once given to these judges and the Church courts, and concludes, "Mais, graces au Ciel, il y a longtemps que ces troubles sont dissipez, et que les causes qui avoient alors augmenté si fort la Juridiction Ecclésiastique, n'ont plus lieu" (or, "But, thanks be to Heaven, these difficulties dissipated long ago, and the reasons why, at that time, the ecclesiastical jurisdiction had increased so much, are no longer present").

Bibliography

1. NOUVELLE INTRODUCTION A LA PRATIQUE : contenant l'explication des termes de pratique, de droit & de coutumes. Nouvelle ed. / revue, corrigee & augmentee. 2 vols. Bruxelles : Par la Societe, 1739. CALL # KJV 115 F472 1739
   
   
2. DICTIONNAIRE DE DROIT ET DE PRATIQUE : contenant l'explication des termes de droit, d'ordonnances de coutumes & de pratique, avec les jurisdictions de France. 4th ed. / par M. ***. Paris, au palais : Chez Joseph Saugrain, M. DCC. LVII [1758]. 2 vols. CALL # KJV 115 F47 1758.
   
   
3. DICTIONNAIRE DE DROIT ET DE PRATIQUE : contenant l'explication des termes de droit, d'ordonnances, de coutumes & de pratique : avec les jurisdictions de France / par Claude-Joseph de Ferriere. Nouv. éd. / revue, corrigée & augmentée par M.***. 2 vols. Paris : Chez Damonneville, M. DCC. LXII. [1762]. CALL # KJV 115 F47 1762
   
   
4. DICTIONNAIRE DE DROIT ET DE PRATIQUE. Nouvelle ed. / revue, corrigee & augmentee par M.***. 2 vols. Paris : Chez Brocas, M. DCC. LXXI [1771]. CALL # KJV 115 F47 1771 (Gift of Chauncey D. Leake Jr., UT Law 1955)
   
   

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