Gerhard Diephuis

Who was Gerhard Diephuis?

Gerhardus Diephuis was a Dutch jurist.

After studies in Groningen, he was a judge with the arrondissement court in Winschoten and later at the higher court in Groningen. In 1840 he married Alagonda Geertruida Hemmes, with whom he had ten children. In 1859, he took up a teaching post at the university of Groningen.

Diephuis was a leading proponent of legism and of the primacy of legislation. Influenced by French teachings, he wrote numerous textbooks on Dutch civil law. He was also instrumental in further diminishing the influence of Roman and customary law in favour of codified legislation.