Legal Method provides a lively introduction to both the nature of the English legal system and its sources, and the techniques which lawyers use when handling those sources. Now in its fifth edition, it has become a well-established and popular text for those who want a clear and accessible introduction to the subject. This edition has been fully updated throughout.
Contents:
PART ONE: IDEAS AND INSTITUTIONS
An Introduction to Law and Legal Reasoning
The Classifications of English Law
The Jurisdictions of the Principal English Courts
The Constitutional Context of Legal Method
The Legal Structure of the European Community
The Enforceability of European Community Law in the United Kingdom
European Community Law and National Sovereignty
The Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Finding, Citing and Using the Sources of Law
PART TWO: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE DOCTRINE OF BINDING PRECEDENT
Ratio Decidendi and Obitier Dictum
Vertical and Horizontal Dimensions of Precedent
Does the House of Lords Bind Itself?
Does the Court of Appeal Bind Itself?
Does the High Court Bind Itself?
Precedent as a Vehical for Law Reform
Precedent and Principle in the European Court of Justice
PART THREE: STATUTE LAW AND STATUTORY INTERPRETATION
An Introduction to Statute Law and Statutory Interpretation
Legislative Drafting
Plain Meanings, Mischief and Purposes
The Idea of Legislative Intention
Modern Interpretation in Practice
Legislative Interpretation in the European Court of Justice
