The Canadian Legal System

The 5th edition has been completely updated, including significant additions to the sections on military law, changes to the provincial court structure (i.e., simplified procedures, case management, and court reform), incorporation of formal and informal ADR, and key charter and constitutional jurisprudence that continues to shape the law in Canada."--Pub. desc.

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.

A History of Law in Canada is the first of two volumes. Volume one begins at a time just prior to European contact and continues to the 1860s, while volume two will start with Confederation and end at approximately 2000. The history of law includes substantive law, legal institutions, legal actors, and legal culture. The authors assume that since 1500 there have been three legal systems in Canada - the Indigenous, the French, and the English. At all times, these systems have co-existed and interacted, with the relative power and influence of each being more or less dominant in different periods. The history of law cannot be treated in isolation, and this book examines law as a dynamic process, shaped by and affecting other histories over the long term. The law guided and was guided by economic developments, was influenced and moulded by the nature and trajectory of political ideas and institutions, and variously exacerbated or mediated intercultural exchange and conflict. These themes are apparent in this examination, and through most areas of law including land settlement and tenure, and family, commercial, constitutional, and criminal law.

This text is designed for college and university level courses in Canadian Law. This exciting first edition provides readers with a useful foundation that not only explains the basic components of the Canadian legal system but also explores its functions and goals. It is broad and deep enough for students to grasp a thorough understanding of the system and to develop their own perspectives on the legal system and its relationship to society and social change. Including examples of the sometimes brilliant and sometimes inane results that law produces, this text will intrigue students and prepare them for further work in a legal framework in any field and advance their understanding of the rights and duties entailed in being a member of Canadian society.

"Designed for those who are planning careers in the Canadian justice system or who will be working with people impacted by various aspects of the system, this text provides the foundational knowledge needed to understand the way the various facets of the Canadian justice system work."--

The Canadian Criminal Justice System, 2nd Edition, offers a comprehensive, clear and compelling overview of the criminal justice system in Canada today. This text contains strong pedagogical features, such as boxes on policing information and discussion topics, and also includes unique coverage of the theories of crime causation and law and social control, all written in a lively and engaging style.