United Kingdom Leading Case legality principlelimitssearch and seizure

Entick v Carrington

(1765) 19 St Tr 1029; [1765] EWHC KB J98

JurisdictionUnited Kingdom

CourtCourt of King's Bench

Year1765

StatusBinding authority

Key Principle

The executive may not interfere with the property or liberty of the subject unless it can point to specific legal authority for doing so; the State has no power beyond what the law allows.

Area of Law

Constitutional & Public Law

Related Cases

R (Jackson) v Attorney General [2005] UKHL 56; [2006] 1 AC 262

R (Daly) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2001] UKHL 26; [2001] 2 AC 532

Maxamcorp International S.L. v Eurotel LLC [2026] EWHC 666 (Comm)

Ask CommonBench about this case

Get a detailed analysis of Entick v Carrington and how it applies to your situation.

Explain Entick v Carrington