Hans Wilhelm Munch-Petersen was a Danish scholar, jurist and author who pushed for legal reforms, more rights for women and other social justice issues in Denmark. His most influential work was Den danske Retspleje.
Early life
Munch-Petersen was son of the medical historian, Professor Julius Petersen and the brother of Jon Julius Munch-Petersen studied at the Metropolitan School in 1886, cand. jur. in 1891, and received the 1893 University Gold Medal for a forensic essay. His dissertation was Løftet og dets Causa He received his law degree in 1896. His children were Arne and Erwin Munch-Petersen.
Career
In 1896 Munch-Petersen became an assistant in the Department of Justice for the Government of Denmark. In 1899, he named a docent, in 1901 a university professor. In 1921, he was named university administrator and in 1923 university rector. He left his position as rector in 1924. From 1918 until 1922, Munch-Petersen was also chairman of the board of rent cases for Copenhagen and Frederiksberg. He also served on several government commissions including the universitets komimissionen from 1912 and the commission for the reform of the military justice. Influenced by reforms in Austria, Munch-Petersen advocated in his publications for legal reform in Denmark. Although not politically active, he wanted to transform the laws in a socialist spirit as described in his books. His social interests have also influenced his role as an arbitration judge in disputes between workers and employers.
Legal papers
Ugeskrift for Retsvæsen,
Tidsskrift for Retsvidenskab
Tilskueren .
Den borgerlige Ret i Hovedtræk ,
Retstilfælde til Brug ved det juridiske Studium
Den danske Retspleje, Retsplejeloven af 11.
Den danske Lovgivning og den sociale Retfærdighed
April 1916 med senere Tillægsbestemmelser, Henvisninger og udførligt Fagregister with Appendix, and jurors. En almenfattelig Oversigt. I
Munch-Petersen also published articles in Tilskueren, Det ny Aarhundrede and especially Ugeskrift for Retsvæsen, whose literary department he edited 1906-20, and in its edition of Lov om Rettens Pleje.
