HUGO, Gustav. Jurist, born at Lörrach (Baden) on 23 Nov. 1764, died at Göttingen on 15 Sept. 1844.
From 1788 he was professor at Göttingen and must be regarded as the founder of the so-called historical school of law, of which SAVIGNY was to become the leading exponent; this school, in opposition to the jurists of natural law, maintained that the principle of evolution is also to be found in the history of law, and that law is an expression of the popular consciousness.
Among HUGO’s principal works are to be noted the *Institutionen des heutigen römischen Rechts* (Berlin 1799), the *Lehrbuch eines civilistischen Kursus* (7 vols., iv 1792–1821), the *Civilistisches Magazin* (6 vols., iv 1790–1837), and finally the *Beiträge zur civilistischen Bücherkenntnis der letzten 40 Jahre* (3 vols., iv 1828–44).