The essays contained in this volume trace essential elements of the face of justice on Newfoundland’s northeast coast from the migratory fishery of the 18th century to the pre-confederation decades of the 20th. They were written by academic and by public community historians and reflect the growing interest in our legal history both within and outside the university community. They show not only that the sources of law and the level of justice activities varied as demographic, social and economic conditions changed throughout this period, but that the law and its institutions formed an integral part of the fabric of everyday community life and were valued as such.