James Somersett was an enslaved African man who became a significant figure in British legal history. In 1771, he escaped from his owner, Charles Stewart, while in London. Somersett's case was brought to court when Stewart sought to have him returned to slavery in the American colonies. The ruling in Somersett's case, known as Somersett's Case, determined that slavery was unsupported by law in England. This landmark decision effectively made it illegal to forcibly remove enslaved individuals from England, marking a pivotal moment in the movement against slavery in Britain.