William Otter Woodall was an attorney who collected a few of the more infamous trials in this collection. At this point in history trials were not easy to research. Woodall prepared this book for professionals in order that they could refer to them in their research. Trials included are The trial of Abraham Thornton for the murder of Mary Ashford, The appeal of murder and wager of Battle; William Ashford vs Abraham Thornton, The trial of Josiah Phillips for a libel on the Duke of Cumberland arising out of the Sellis case, The trial of the action Smyth vs Smyth relating to the Ashton estates, The trial of the Rev. William Bailey LLD for forgery, The trial of John Tawell for poisoning, and The trial of Frere Leotade.