David Dudley Field II
American lawyer who engineered the shift to code pleading.
David Dudley Field II was an American lawyer and law reformer who played a pivotal role in transforming American civil procedure. He also served briefly as a U.S.
- field
- Law, law reform, politics
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Field Code of civil procedure; codification of law
Lore & Background
Field was born in Haddam, Connecticut, the oldest of ten children of Rev. David Dudley Field I and Submit Dickenson Field. His brothers included U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Johnson Field, businessman Cyrus Field, and clergyman Henry Martyn Field. Field devoted more than 40 years to codification. This code abolished the distinction between actions at law and suits in equity, requiring only one civil action. It was adopted in 27 states and influenced England's Judicature Acts.
Reader's Guide
David Dudley Field II's significance lies in his invention of 'procedure' as a unified legal category, joining pleading and practice under one heading. His Field Code replaced the complex common law system with a simplified code pleading, allowing plaintiffs to file a single civil action. This reform spread to 27 states and influenced England and its colonies. Field also advanced an expansive approach to evidence, allowing testimony from any person 'having organs of sense' except the insane and very young children, though fifteen states excluded racial minorities when adopting his code. Field's legacy is the foundational shift in American civil procedure and the model for statutory codes in many states.
Did You Know?
- The Field Code allowed any person 'having organs of sense' to testify, except the insane and very young children.
- Field's penal code was primarily drafted by Field himself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is David Dudley Field II?
He was a 19th-century American attorney and legal reformer best known for overhauling how civil cases were pleaded in the United States. He championed replacing the old common-law pleading system with a simpler, code-based approach.
Why is David Dudley Field II important to American legal history?
He is credited with engineering the transition from common-law pleading to code pleading, which fundamentally changed how civil litigation was conducted across the country. His codification efforts also helped standardize and simplify legal procedures that had been fragmented under the old system.
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