C. Northcote Parkinson and journalist Ann Fry (1921–1983), with whom he had two sons and a daughter. In 1958, while still in Singapore, he published his most famous work, "Parkinson's Law", which expanded upon a humorous article that he had published in the "Economist" magazine in November 1955, satirising government bureaucracies. The 120-page book of short studies, published in the United States and then in Britain, was illustrated by Osbert Lancaster and became an instant best seller. It explained the inevitability of bureaucratic expansion, arguing that 'work expands to fill the time available for its completion'. Typical of his satire and cynical humour,
History of the principle of inquisition in German criminal law ducal court in Nancy. The local court had to ask for the use of torture by presenting the results of its inquiries. The greatest problems of the medieval proceeding of inquiry were to be found outside of the principle itself. The principle of inquisition is still in use in modern criminal law in Germany, though to a restricted extent. The legal basis is § 244 II Strafprozeßordnung (German code of criminal procedure) that orders the court to examine ex officio every fact and proof that could be relevant to a judgment. Most of these facts or proofs are inserted by