 In 1883, with A. Oliver, he published "Criminal Law Manual", comprising the "Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1883", and towards the end of his life interested himself in the amending of the law of divorce.Among his writings on the subject was an article in the Contemporary Review for June 1891 in reply to one by W. E. Gladstone in the North American Review.Stephen resigned from the legislative council in 1890 and lived in retirement.