Fictions of law must be consistent with justice

"As the crow flies"—a popular and picturesque expression to denote a straight line.

There is no presumption in this country that every person knows the law: it would be contrary to common sense and reason if it were so.

Common sense still lingers in Westminster Hall.

In the eye of the law no doubt, man and wife are for many purposes one: but that is a strong figurative expression, and cannot be so dealt with as that all the consequences must follow which would result from its being literally true.

Nominal damages are in effect, only a peg to hang costs on.

After a hard frost a man might wake in the morning and find he was breaking a covenant.