1. Religious Offenses: Shakespeare's plays often depicted characters discussing religious topics, some of which were considered sensitive or controversial. During the Elizabethan era, there were strict religious laws in place, and challenging or criticizing the Church was considered a serious offense. Some scholars believe that Shakespeare may have skirted these laws by presenting different viewpoints through his characters. However, there is no record of Shakespeare personally facing charges for any religious offenses.
2. Marriage Law: Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582. At the time, he was 18, while she was 26 and pregnant. This marriage raised questions about the legality of their union since a man had to be 21 years old to legally consent to marriage without parental permission. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Shakespeare was ever prosecuted for this.
3. Theatrical Regulations: During Shakespeare's time, there were regulations and laws governing theater performances and plays. These regulations were enforced by the Master of the Revels, who had the power to censor or ban plays. While Shakespeare's plays were generally well-received and rarely faced any legal issues, there was an incident in 1606 when his play "King Lear" was censored because of its depiction of a king going mad.
4. Copyright and Printing Laws: In Shakespeare's era, copyright laws were not as well-established as they are today. This led to unauthorized printing and distribution of his plays. While Shakespeare faced issues related to copyright infringement, these were mainly civil matters and not criminal offenses.
Overall, there is no evidence that William Shakespeare faced any significant legal consequences or was charged with major crimes. While some instances may have raised questions, it appears that he managed to navigate the laws and regulations of his time relatively unscathed.