Ludwig Harscher von Almendingen was a learned German jurist.
Background
He was born in Paris, and educated by his father until 1789, when he went to Göttingen, where he applied himself to the study of law and history under professors Runde, Hugo, Putter, and Spittler. In 1794, he was elected professor of law at Herborn (Nassau), and two years later he married a daughter of Adam Hoffman, professor of medicine.
Career
He was a very prolific author at this period, as may be seen by a reference to Meussel"s Gelehrtes Deutschland. His writings were varied: sometimes translations from English works, et cetera But chiefly legal treatises and papers relative to civil law, legislation, et cetera
In 1802, he accepted the situation of counsellor to the newly erected court of appeal at Hadamar, an office which he filled at Düsseldorf, during the disturbances of Nassau.
But being recalled, in 1811, to the service of the duke of Nassau, he became vice-director of the aulic tribunal of Wiesbaden, and referendary of the minister of state. In 1816, he was made vice-president of the aulic tribunal of Dillenburg.
And shortly afterwards, he was named counsellor of state. In consequence, he wrote a history of the Anhalt Suit, in which he made some very severe reflections on Prussian legislation.
He was, in consequence of this, condemned in 1822, by the authorities at Berlin, to a year"s imprisonment.
The disgrace of which sentence, although never carried into effect, affected him so deeply as to cause him wholly to retire from society until his death.
Membership
In 1813, being made member of the commission of legislation, he applied himself to the framing several useful legal reforms, most of which have since been adopted.