An Introduction To Law

Since the publication of its first edition, this textbook has become the definitive student introduction to the subject. As with earlier editions, the seventh edition gives a clear understanding of fundamental legal concepts and their importance within society. In addition, this book addresses the ways in which rules and the structures of law respond to and impact upon changes in economic and political life. The title has been extensively updated and explores recent high profile developments such as the Civil Partnership Act 2005 and the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. This introductory text covers a wide range of topics in a clear, sensible fashion giving full context to each. For this reason An Introduction to Law is ideal for all students of law, be they undergraduate law students, those studying law as part of a mixed degree, or students on social sciences courses which offer law options.

Distinguished by brevity, lucid writing, and well-chosen examples, An Introduction to Law and Economics, now in its Fifth Edition, focuses on a set of core topics that include property, contracts, torts, criminal law, and litigation. Avoiding specialized jargon and mathematics, Polinsky teaches students how to think like an economist and understand legal issues from an economic perspective. New to the Fifth Edition: A streamlining of the products liability chapter A revised discussion of the redistributive effects of legal rules to reflect more recent scholarship on this topic The addition of several other refinements in the text and in new footnotes An updated bibliography Professors and students will benefit from: Solid coverage of relevant economic principles A normative approach that illustrates how to assess legal rules and policies in terms of economic and social goals Clear explanations of concepts

This introductory text is intended to demystify the law and to provide information on the key components of the Canadian legal system including chapters on: The nature of law and competing theories of law Legal pluralism - how the Canadian legal system interacts with various religious legal systems Sources of Canadian law including legislation and caselaw The legal history of Britain, the reception of English law in Canada, the history of Civil Law in Quebec, and the bijural system The Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms The structure of Canadian government Courts across Canada and the work of judges and lawyers Problems regarding access to justice Substantive law including Criminal Law, Property Law, Contract Law, and Tort Law Procedural laws governing civil disputes and criminal prosecutions.

This text's emphasis is upon understanding law and legal structures in social, economic and political life. This new edition takes stock of the rapid development of both law and legal institutions since the fourth edition was published in 1993.