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Curated category

Legal professions

  • PoliceThe word police first appeared in English during the early 15th century with meanings that ranged from public policy to state administration.
  • LawyerIn ancient Athens, a rule required individuals to plead their own cases. This constraint forced citizens to seek help from friends rather than professionals.
  • SheriffThe Old English term shire reeve described a royal official responsible for managing a county on behalf of the king. This phrase contracted over centuries…
  • Patent examinerThe United States Patent and Trademark Office lost more patent examiners in some years than it hired. This high attrition rate exceeds 50% within four years…
  • Justice of the peaceIn 1195, King Richard I of England and his minister Hubert Walter commissioned certain knights to preserve the peace in unruly areas.
  • Bounty hunterIn the year 1873, the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling in Taylor v. Taintor that changed how private citizens could pursue fugitives.