Presentations & Papers
“’Cette soubmission n’est deuë qu’à celuy qui est veritablement mary’: Marriage, Law, and Power in Early Modern French Legal Writings on the épreuve du congrès,” Seminar on Justice, États, Actions, Écritures (XVIe-XIXe siècles), CNRS - Centre Roland Mousnier (Paris, France), Dec. 2023.
“Uses of the Law, Legality, and State Formation in Early Modern France,” Sixteenth-Century Studies Conference, Oct. 2023.
Invited Presentation: “Uses of the Law, Legal Culture, and the State in Early Modern France,” Second Workshop on the Frontiers of Medieval and Early Modern Legal History, Henan University Law School (Kaifeng, China), July 2023.
Invited Presentation: “The State in Society: A Social and Cultural History of the Law and its Uses in Early Modern France and Europe,” The Frontiers of Legal History in the Medieval and Early Modern Periods, Henan University School of Law (Kaifeng, China), July 2022.
"'Le prince doit avoir une autorité souveraine sur les mariages': Annulments, Sovereignty, and the State in Early Modern France." Sovereignty, 1300-1800: Terrestrial and Maritime Negotiations, Freie Universität Berlin, May 2022.
“Annulment Suits and the épreuve du congrès at the Officialité de Paris in the Early Seventeenth Century: Judicial Theory and Legal Practice.” Divorcer autrefois?: La séparation matrimoniale de l’Antiquité au XXe siècle. Mondes européens et extra-européens. Société d’histoire démographique, Lyon, France, Nov. 2019.
Invited Presentation: “Lawyers, Litigants, and Law Courts: A Social and Cultural History of Law in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe,” William Beik Seminars in Early Modern French History, Georgetown University, Feb. 2019.
Invited Presentation: "Law and Justice in Early Modern Europe: A Social History," History Department, University of California at Santa Barbara, May 2018.
Invited Presentation: “Lawyers and the Legalization of Early Modern Europe: A Cultural History.” American University of Paris, Mar. 2018.
"Law, Politics, and the Social History of the Ancien Régime State," Society for French Historical Studies, Apr. 2017.
Invited Presentation: "'Priests of the Law' or 'Vipers of the Commonwealth': Legal Professionals, Legal Knowledge, and Litigiousness in Early Modern Europe." Legal History Workshop, Harvard University Law School. Oct. 2016.
"Men of the Law and Civic Governance in Early Modern France." Sixteenth-Century Studies Conference, Oct. 2014.
Invited Presentation: "Les procès en nullité de mariage pour cause d'impuissance dans la France d'Ancien Régime: Procèdures, savoirs, et problèmes d'autorité." École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. Paris, France. May 2013.
Invited Presentation: "Les hommes de loi dans la société d'Ancien Régime." École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. Paris, France. May 2013.
Invited Presentation: "La «complexe état-famille» de Sarah Hanley: Bilan et perspectives de recherches." École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. Paris, France. May 2013.
Invited Presentation: "La responsabilité et l'autorité dans le procès de dissolution de mariage en France aux XVIe et XVIIe siècles." École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. Paris, France. May 2013.
"Law and Social History in Old Regime France." Society for French Historical Studies, Apr. 2013.
“Jean Bouhier et les controverses autour de l'épreuve du congrès au XVIIIe siècle.” Regards transatlantiques sur l’intégration de la Bourgogne au royaume de France à l’époque moderne (16e-18e siècles). Université de Dijon. Dijon, France, May 2012.
“Medical Expertise and Moral Certainty in Debates over the épreuve du congrès.” Society for French Historical Studies, Mar. 2012.
Invited Presentation: “«La plus certaine preuve» ou «la plus grand preuve de barbarie»: les juristes et l’épreuve du congrès (XVIe-XVIIIe siècles).” Université de Lille-III. Lille, France, Nov. 2011.
“«Le public ne se persuade pas»: l’opinion publique, le droit feudal et la défense des intérêts municipaux dans l’affaire du Montmuzard à Dijon (1749-50)." Les parlementaires, acteurs de la vie locale et provinciale aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles. Centre de Histoire Judiciarie, Université de Lille-II. Douai, France, Nov. 2011.
Invited Presentation: “Dueling Under the Flag of Venus: Law, Marriage, and the Controversy over the épreuve par congrès.” Portland Center for Public Humanities, Portland State University, Apr. 2011.
“Les duels sous le drapeau de Venus: Marriage, Law, and the State in the épreuve par congrès.” 16th-Century Studies Conference, Oct. 2010.
“"Entrer dans la politique municipale: les entrées dijonnaises de Louis de Bourbon (1648) et Bernard de Foix de la Valette (1656) comme jeux des factions urbaines." Le pouvoir dans la ville : l’exercice du pouvoir municipal. Université de Rennes II, Rennes, France, Feb. 2010.
“Laughing at/with the Law: Causes Grasses and Legal Culture in Early Modern France.” 16th-Century Studies Conference, May 2009.
“Legal Humor, Legal Knowledge and the Public in Early Modern France: Robert Estienne’s Causes Amusantes et Connues.” Justice et espaces publiques en Occident de l’Antiquité à nos jours. Université de Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, May 2009.
“The First Thing We Do, Let’s Ban All the Lawyers: Litigation, Legal Reform and Legal Practitioners in New France, 1663-1760.” D.C./Baltimore Area Old Regime Group, Feb. 2009.
"Pasts and Publics: Customary Law, Public Opinion, and Royal Authority in Early Eighteenth-Century France." Western Society for French History, Nov. 2007.
"Philosopher-Jurists, Soldiers of Justice, and Gnawing Vultures: Lawyers in Early Modern Society." Roundtable on "Friction in the Archives: New Perspectives on Law and Society in the Early Modern World." 16th-Century Studies Conference, Oct. 2007.
“Caesar in Burgundy: Julius Caesar in the Legal and Political Culture of a French Provincial Capital.” Représentations de Jules César à l’époque modèrne (XVIe-XVIIIe siècles), Cercle Interuniversitaire d’étude sur la République des Lettres, Québec City, QC, Oct. 2007.
“Playing With Patronage: Rethinking Municipal Authority in Early Seventeenth-Century France.” 16th-Century Studies Conference, Oct. 2006.
“Patronage, Politics and the ‘Rule of Law’ in Early Modern France.” Western Society for French History, Oct. 2005.
“Local Politics and Factional Conflict in the Entry Ceremonies of Louis de Bourbon and Bernard de Foix de la Valette.” 16th-Century Studies Conference, Oct. 2005.
“The Avocats of Dijon and the Politics of Local Privilege (1595-1648).” Mellon Faculty Research Seminar on Institutions, Reed College, April 2005.
“Lawyers, Political Participation and the State in Early Modern France.” D.C./Baltimore Area Old Regime Group, Oct. 2004.
“Representing the City: Avocats and the Negotiation of Municipal Authority in Seventeenth-Century France.” Les auxiliaires de la justice, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Sept. 2004.
Invited Presentation: “Understanding Monarchy: Legal Culture, Municipal Government and Political Thought in Seventeenth-Century Dijon.” Vann Seminar in Pre-modern European History, Emory University, Jan. 2004.
“Litigating Politics in Seventeenth-Century France: The Mairie de Dijon v. the ‘Interessez’ of Lanturelu.” American Society for Legal History, November 2001.
“’The Consent of the People and the Authority of the Sovereign’: Provincial Custom and Royal Absolutism in Burgundy.” Society for French Historical Studies, Mar. 2001.
“Royal Absolutism and Municipal Privilege in Seventeenth-Century Dijon: The Elections of June 1668.” Society for French Historical Studies, Mar. 2000.
“The Possibilities and Limits of Institutional Cooperation in Seventeenth-Century France: The Parlement of Burgundy and the Mairie of Dijon in the 1620s and 1630s.” Society for French Historical Studies, Mar. 1998.
“‘Even Against the King and His Officers’: Election Disputes and Municipal Identity in Post-Catholic League Dijon (1595-1612).” 16th-Century Studies Conference, Oct. 1997.
“Lawyers in the ‘Seminary of Dignities’: Communal Autonomy, Royal Authority, and the Pursuit of Offices in Seventeenth-Century Dijon.” Society for French Historical Studies, Mar. 1996.