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SITEMAP

 

ABOUT FB

. . CV

. . Autobiographical

. . Life photos

. . FB's Scrapbook

 

WRITINGS BY FB

. . Chronological

. . Complete list

. . The Bennion Code

. . FB books

. . FB articles etc.

. . FB press letters

. . Book reviews

. . Blogs

. . Archive

. . Acts mentioned

. . People mentioned

 

WRITINGS BY OTHERS

. . Chronological

. . Index

. . Press cuttings

. . Reviews-FB books

. .

OTHER MATERIAL

. . Photograph Album

. . Document list

. . Audio and video

 

Abbreviations

 

Contact FB

Note: On age grounds Francis Bennion has retired from legal practice.

Contact Webmaster

 

Copyright

Disclaimer

 

Acrobat reader

This personal site is based in England. It was created on 9 November 1999 and mainly comprises downloadable books, articles and other writings by Francis Bennion, of which there are currently 991: see Chronological in left sidebar below. In 2011 this site was added to the Bodleian Library archive as being 'of lasting research value and worthy of permanent preservation for the benefit of historians and researchers'.

The site was last updated Wednesday 22 May 2013

This week's shout:

Grayling slashes Legal Aid

Guide to FB's website

Click on this link for a short pdf 'slideshow' on how to use this website.

Move from slide to slide using the scroll bar on the right.

Following FB

If you would like to know when FB updates his website or when he is mentioned on the Web we recommend using Google's 'Alerts' system.

To do this click on this link and enter "Francis Bennion" in the 'Search query' box (Note: You MUST include the double quotes!) and type your own email address in the 'Your email' box.

 

Francis Bennion joins the ebook revolution!

 

FB’s latest book Law and Sustainability: A Protest is published on Kindle at £5.15.

Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill 2013

The Coalition Government’s Bill raises so many serious problems that Francis Bennion has decided to write a rolling book on the Bill and related matters. As the drafting and progress of the Bill continue, extracts from his developing book will be placed on this Website. It is hoped that users of the site will find them interesting. Please email any comments on them to francis.bennion.1946@balliol.org.

Latest additions to this site

 

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling defends reforms of legal aid (22 May 2013)

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Parliamentary power to override judicial independence (17 May 2013)

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Loss of respect for senior judges (17 May 2013

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'Managed currencies' by J. M. Keynes (10 May 2013)

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Trying to deport Abu Qatada - Letter 2 (1 May 2013)

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Trying to deport Abu Qatada - Letter 1 (1 May 2013)

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Danger of secret Arrests (22 Apr 2013)

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Dubious press amendments (22 Apr 2013)

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FB’s Daily Telegraph article on Leveson Report (12 Apr 2013)

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Plain Law (12 Apr 2013)

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Plain Language in Law (10 Apr 2013)

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Why we don’t want a press statute (18 Mar 2013)

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About Francis Bennion . . .

Born 2 January 1923 in Cheshire, England, FB remains active as a writer and academic. At his Devon home, using the internet, he writes or updates his books and articles, does occasional broadcasts, and, with around 150 letters in the Times, as well as many in other newspapers and journals, spreads his opinions on many matters of public concern. Since 1984 he has been a research associate of the Oxford University Centre for Socio-Legal Studies.

During World War II, FB served as a volunteer RAF pilot. He then read law at Balliol and was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple. He became law tutor at St Edmund Hall Oxford, last of the medieval halls. He then practised at the Bar in common law and human rights cases. Later he served 14 years in the Westminster Parliamentary Counsel Office drafting Acts of Parliament for the British Government.

In 1956 FB drafted the constitution by which Pakistan became a republic. Then in 1960 he drafted the constitution by which Ghana became a republic. His first book, explaining the Ghana constitution, followed in 1962.

In the 1960s FB served as chief executive of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and wrote Professional Ethics. He has also written a book, The Sex Code, on sexual ethics.

In 1971-72 FB brought a private prosecution against Peter Hain. After a 10-day Old Bailey trial Hain was convicted of criminal conspiracy to organise illegal direct action protests. His appeal was rejected.

In 1984 FB published his main work, Statutory Interpretation. The fifth edition of this, totalling over 1700 pages, was published in 2008.

FB has founded or co-founded various bodies including the World of Property Housing Trust, Towards One World, the Professional Association of Teachers, the Statute Law Society, the Statute Law Trust, Freedom Under Law, the Dicey Trust, Areopagitica Educational Trust and Towards One World.

FB’s books

FB's Lifetime Achievements

What people say . . .

‘... fascinating and entertaining ... The text is clear and accessible, enlivened by examples and enhanced by chapter summaries.’

New Law Journal, 8 Feb 2002

This changes daily.See also my four other daily quotations .

Poetic thought for today

FB's poetic thought for 23 May 2013 is from his book, POEMOTIONS:
In the long run
it's a coffee-coloured world.

Epistolary thought for today

FB's epistolary thought for 23 May 2013 is from his Times letters:
I advocate the setting up of a Council of Consultant Professions, which would promote professionalism, provide common services to the professions, and act as their spokesman . . . (1978)

Review extract for today

The extract for 23 May 2013 from a review of FB's book STATUTORY INTERPRETATION is:
'This . . . has come to be regarded as the leading textbook in its field' - Justice of the Peace

See the complete collection of 31 extracts

Moral thought for today

FB's moral thought for 23 May 2013 is :
You can be generous by letting others give to you. Since it is more blessed to give than to receive, you are giving them a blessing.