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The Special Bastardy Act 1235 Stat. 20 Hen III, c.9, is an act of the Parliament of England derived from Chapter 9 of the Statute of Merton. It formally defined the state of bastardy in statute law. The act held "He s a bastard that is born before the marriage of his parents". IT held bastardy could be determined through a jury trial instead of a certificate from a bishop. It was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1948.

History
Under the common law of England, it had long been held that bastards was unable to inherit their parents' property following their deaths. In 1235, during the parliamentary session, King Henry III of England discussed if people born before their parents were married would be able to inherit. The Catholic bishops of the realm stated in the negative as they viewed it to be against Christian church teaching. The peers of England at the behest of the bishops also denied it by stating it was already contrary to common law at the time that Bastards could not inherit. Thus, Parliament passed the Special Bastardy Act, that resolved "He is a Bastard that is born before the Marriage of his parents". This placed the status of Bastardy in statute law for the first time. Later it was determined that legitimacy of alleged Bastards could be determined via jury trial or a bishop's certification.

Amendment
The Special Bastardy Act remained largely unchanged for 700 years. The act was modified during the 20th century when the Legitimacy Act 1926 was passed and allowed for a bastard to be legitimised following the subsequent marriage of their parents. The act was later repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1948.