HEINECCIUS, Johann Gottlieb (1681-1741), a celebrated jurist, was born 11th September 1681 at Eisenberg. He studied theology at Leipsic and law at Halle; and at the latter place he was appointed in 1713 professor of philosophy, in 1718 extraordinary, and in 1720 ordinary professor of jurisprudence. He subsequently filled legal chairs at Franekerin Holland and at Frankfort, but finally returned to Halle in 1733 as professor of philosophy and jurisprudence. He died there, 31st August 1741.

Heineccius belonged to the school of philosophical jurists. He endeavoured to treat law as a rational science, and not merely as an empirical art whose rules had no deeper source than expediency. Thue he continually refers to first principles, and he develops his legal doctrines as a system of philosophy. His chief works were Antiquitatum Romanarum Jurisprudentiam illustrantium Syntagma (1718), Historia Juris Civilis Romani ac Germanici (1733), Elementa Juris Germanici (1735), Elementa Juris Naturae et Gentium (1737, English trans, by Turnbull, London, 2 vols., 1763). Besides these works he wrote on purely philosophical subjects, and edited the works of several of the classical jurists. His Opera Omnia (9 vols., Geneva, 1771, &c.) were edited by his son Johann Christian Gottlieb Heineccius.