Historical specificity of the political and legal field of colonial Virginia

The article is devoted to the study of the historical features of the formation and development of an original model of legal relations that developed in Virginia during the colonial period. The existing source base makes it possible to correlate the legal interests of some of the most important participants in local socio-political processes, such as the official authorities of the colony, the local landed elite, and broad sections of North American society. The analysis of the formation of the judicial system in the colonial possessions of Great Britain reveals the specifics of individual colonies, among which the legal practices of Virginia rightfully occupied a special place, since they were a direct reflection of the political compromise between the most prominent groups of influence, such as the governor’s entourage, local land elites and the political nation of the colony. The inclusion of the legal system of colonial Virginia in a kind of system of checks and balances, which had an important impact on establishing a balance between the various branches of government, is particularly noteworthy. At the same time, the historical experience of Virginia clearly demonstrates how the needs of the colonial economy determined the development of local law and the political system.