This month Law Guernsey launches a new free-to-use online Library of one of the largest collections of customary law texts, with a particular focus on Guernsey customary law sources.
Law Guernsey is a registered charity wholly owned and supported by the Guernsey Bar, and is the entity with responsibility for administering and teaching the Guernsey Bar exams as well as producing study guides in each of the subjects examined and for providing the Caen course.
The customary law is a key part of Guernsey’s unique legal and cultural heritage and distinguishes Guernsey from the laws of jurisdictions such as England and Wales and the rest of the common law world. Currently, those wishing to consult the customary law would need to either instruct a firm of advocates large enough to have their own private collection, or else visit the Island Archives to consult the Royal Court library.
One of the central purposes of Law Guernsey’s online library is to support the knowledge and use of the customary law in Guernsey, but on a more practical level it is to allow free and unfettered access to anyone wishing to consult it, regardless of legal qualification, financial resources or location.
No login or registration is required to access the Library. The books have all been uploaded as fully-searchable PDF documents, and the Library has smart searching functions which allow users to search for specific words and phrases across all books instantaneously, in English or in French.
The Library will be of great interest in Jersey also and around the academic world, in particular the Universities of Caen and Rouen. The Library is revolutionary in terms of its scope and searchability. It is an internationally valuable research asset in addition to helping to secure Guernsey’s unique legal heritage.
The Library was made possible by generous gifts from the estate of the late St John Robilliard, who was a well-known Guernsey advocate who sadly passed away in 2015. Funding received from his estate, as well as access to his incredible collection of customary law texts, has been instrumental in making the Library a reality.
