Richard is from England. Patricia is from Cedar Rapids.

They met over a legal debate, fell in love, got married, and wrote a book.

Richard, Lord Acton and Patricia Nassif Acton will be visiting Big Table Books tomorrow night for a reading of their book To Go Free: A Treasury of Iowa’s Legal Heritage.

Six years ago the Actons started researching Iowa’s legal history.

“The initial request for this book was put to Richard. But we decided it would be more fun to work on this project together,” Patricia Acton said.

Their work culminated in the photograph-filled book that has been described as an “immense value to its field” by a recent press release.

The work commemorates Iowa’s sesquicentennial by spanning the state’s legal history of 150 years.

Everything from the early Indian treaties through the recent radical gambling laws is covered, the press release stated.

The book includes excerpts from original court records, statues, and personal recollections, and it is filled with hundreds of photographs.

“We concentrated particularly hard on the pictures. We thought it of the greatest importance to have as many illustrations as possible,” Lord Acton explained.

Both the Actons have a strong legal background. Lord Acton practiced law as a barrister in London and later as a Senior Law Officer with the Ministry of Justice in Zimbabwe.

Lord Acton is a prolific freelance writer and has published numerous articles on Iowa history.

“I’m interested in all history, but I got started writing about Iowa history because I wanted to know why the nickname ‘Hawkeye’ applied to the state,” Lord Acton explained.

When Lord Acton was first asked to do a book on Iowa’s legal history by the Iowa State Bar Association, he turned it down.

“I said no originally because I wanted to be with my wife. She is a very able lawyer and highly organized. If we did it together the book would actually get done,” Lord Acton said.

Patricia Acton has practiced law in Cedar Rapids and is currently a clinical professor of law at the University of Iowa College of Law.

Patricia Acton has also published numerous books and articles on legal subjects.

“I have to credit my husband for getting me interested in writing about Iowa’s legal history. I didn’t think that much about the history of Iowa until Richard came here and started writing about it,” Professor Patricia Acton explained.

Apparently teaching commercial and entertainment law isn’t enough to keep Patricia Acton busy.

Every spring she directs the London Law Consortium, a study abroad program for American law students in London.

As if that weren’t enough, both Actons are writing again. They are currently working on chapters for an upcoming book on the history of African-Americans in Iowa.

“No one has ever done a book on this subject before. We’re working on chapters dealing with the legal history of African-Americans,” Patricia Acton explained.

Professor Acton is looking forward to the completion of their next project together.

“Working with Richard has been a wonderful experience. Seeing Iowa’s history through Richard’s eyes has truly made me appreciate it,” Patricia Acton said.

The Actons will be at Big Table Books in downtown Ames Friday night at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.