Yes. It's called science. You sound like the whole of history is being rewritten every month, while a lot of books written in early 20th of the past century are still recommended reading in universities today.
Science get rewritten every year because of politics but thats not real science.
This is actually archaeology, usually doesn't get the political pressure as much as medical science does.
The book is very well sourced, written by well respected historians and sourced very well citing the actual historical documents we still have in museums along with being investigative archaeologist.
If anyone is a medieval fantasy or history nerd, I very much recommend this book. Its fantastic. But it kind ruins some things for you in media because of how unrealistic media representation is.
"It may be doubted that hallmotes insisted on such exquisite perfection of jargon, but it is known that defendants and litigants in serious cases were often alert to slips of language by which technical flaws could be imputed and judgment perhaps evaded.(11) The steward in The Court Baron next addresses the accused: “Fair friend Stephen, this court awards that you be at your law six-handed at the next court to acquit yourself,” to which the defendant replies, “Willingly, sir.”(12) “Be at your law six-handed” meant that Stephen was to bring with him five men who would join him in swearing either that his account of the case was true or that he was himself a trustworthy person. In cases of more serious character or when there was reason to doubt the accused, he might be called on to “be at your law twelve-handed,” requiring him to find eleven “oath helpers.” Oath helping, or compurgation, was by 1300 a basic element of medieval jurisprudence. The sense of it was that several men who attested the truth of their statements on the holy relics would be unlikely to swear their souls away simultaneously.(13) At this point a uniquely medieval step in the court’s procedure took place: both plaintiff and defendant were ordered to “find pledges,” persons to act as sureties to guarantee their appearance in court. Such personal pledging was also used to guarantee fulfillment of a promised obligation, or even that the pledge’s subject would behave himself. Pledges were held accountable by the court and were liable to fine: “John Page and John Fraunceys were pledges of Henry Smith for the payment of two shillings to John son of Alexander in the Lane . . . and nothing is paid. Therefore both of them in mercy [fined] . . . Better pledges are William of Barnwell and Reginald son of Benedict.”(14) Those needing pledges sought them among the better class of fellow villagers, those with substantial holdings, who served in village offices. Reeves and beadles were especially in demand. Pledges’ fines were usually three pence, half the standard fine for most offenses. Husbands commonly acted as pledges for wives, but otherwise most pledging was extra-familial."
Gies, Frances; Gies, Joseph. Life in a Medieval Village (Medieval Life) (pp. 176-177). HarperCollins e-books. Kindle Edition.
From the book, this is how a village court would get witnesses for a case. Its pretty much someone brings forth a cases agaisnt someone and then the court says I need you to get 5 others who can swear to god on your account.
"In 1285 Edward I issued the Second Statute of Westminster, holding the men of the village and hundred collectively responsible for arresting and holding malefactors—in effect, making the hue-and-cry royal as well as manorial law. Not very surprisingly, large numbers of wrongdoers continued to escape capture. Bands of thieves flourished, terrorizing whole districts. Sometimes they were abetted by wealthy sponsors known as “receivers” or “maintainers.” As John Bellamy observes, “There was . . . less of a gulf between honest men and criminals than in modern society,” a situation that also made corruption of officials easier.(77) Of those tried by royal justice sitting in cases where the accused was actually detained, only some 10 to 30 percent of the defendants were convicted. One popular technique for evading punishment was the claim of “benefit of clergy,” meaning that the accused was a cleric and could only be tried in Church court where capital punishment was not used. Felons not only took the tonsure (clerical haircut) in prison but even learned to read. Benefit of clergy was of limited value to habitual criminals, however, since it could only be claimed once.(78)"
Gies, Frances; Gies, Joseph. Life in a Medieval Village (Medieval Life) (p. 192). HarperCollins e-books. Kindle Edition.
Only about 10-30 of the small number of wrong doers that got captured even got convicted.