Who was "John Doe"?

[Impret-Sir]

THe name you see given to people, usually found dead, with no identification. Where did this name come from?

[Bobadob]

Try WWW.bibliomania.com

Click reference then "Brewer's Phrase and Fable"  look under Doe.

[Quizmonster]

If you click http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19991105,  that will link you to a web-page which explains.

[Peter Pedant]

If you trail around book shops in London you will come across writ-it-yourself books, from the 1800s with specimen common law writs for the clerks to copy out and practise and yes, they really are phrased in John Doe v Richard Roe terms.

The reason why John Doe was used as a legal fiction is that the writ had the effect of transferring the case from a local court to a central London one. The London lawyers liked that one, from a fee point of view.

Ha! Some things never change!

[Impret-Sir]

Peter, Im not sure I understand your last point, I am still not clear why that name was picked, and according to the other answers here it seems as if, basically no-one else really knows either! Thanks for all the answers guys.