A Judicial Review — a detailed reconsideration of Joan of Arc’s 1431 trial and the later proceedings that annulled it, with close attention to canon law, due process, and judicial history.
A rigorous, accessible study of one of history’s most famous trials—combining legal precision with historical insight for both scholars and general readers.
This study revisits the prosecution of Joan of Arc in 1431 and the later nullity proceedings of 1455–1456, showing where the original trial failed to follow the rules of inquisitorial procedure and how those failures shaped one of the most famous judicial episodes in European history.
The book brings legal precision to a story often told mainly as legend. It examines what was actually charged, what procedures should have been followed, and what the surviving records reveal about the workings—and failings—of the court that condemned Joan.
Henry Ansgar Kelly is a Distinguished Research Professor at UCLA. He has written extensively on medieval law, religion, literature, canon law, inquisition, saints, marriage law, and related subjects. His scholarship combines close textual analysis with deep historical and legal context.
He served as Director of UCLA’s Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies and as editor of Viator. His published work spans a wide range of topics, including church courts, Thomas More, Chaucer, the Bible, Satan, and medieval legal procedure.
This website highlights his new book on Joan of Arc while providing readers with a direct path to related work and background information.
This book grew out of years of interest in violations of due process in inquisitorial procedure and expanded into a full reconsideration of both Joan’s trial and the nullity proceedings that followed.
The preface situates the book within a long scholarly career and reflects the author’s gratitude to colleagues, students, and family. It also records the extraordinary circumstance that many notes and books used during the project were lost in the Palisades fire after the manuscript was nearly complete.
Readers who would like to explore more of Henry Ansgar Kelly’s work can use the links below.
For inquiries related to the book or the author’s work, you can use the contact information and related resources linked above.