He helped establish many of the philosophies behind the U.S. legal system.
William Blackstone (1723 – 1780) was an English judge who also served as a Member of Parliament. He is famous for writing the Commentaries on the Laws of England. The 4-volume treatise covered "The Rights of Persons," "The Rights of Things," "Private Wrongs" and "Public Wrongs." Blackstone intended his work as an overview of common law as it had developed in England. His work was used by early courts in the United States as well. Embedded in his work were essential principles of law that would be help form the foundation of the US legal system.