Right to silence
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The right to silence is a legal principle which guarantees any individual the right to refuse to answer questions from law enforcement officers or court officials. It is a legal right recognised, expl
Portrait of English judge Sir Edward Coke
Edward Coke
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Sir Edward Coke was an English barrister, judge, and politician. He is often considered the greatest jurist of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras.
Right to silence
…legal proceeding. This right constitutes only a small part of the defendant's rights as a whole. The origin of the right to silence is attributed to Sir Edward Coke's challenge to the ecclesiastical courts and their ex officio oath. In the late 17th century, it became established in the law of England as a reaction…
Portrait by Gilbert Jackson, 1615
Trinity College, Cambridge, where Coke studied between 1567 and 1570
The Court of King's Bench, where Coke brought his first case
Robert Cecil, Coke's political ally who acted as a staunch defender of Elizabeth I