Why do some people call the police to quiet a barking dog in the middle of the night, while others accept devastating loss or actions without complaint? Sociologists Patricia Ewick and Susan Silbey examine more than 400 case studies to explore the various ways the law is perceived and utilized, or not, by a broad spectrum of citizens.

In an ere as morally confused as ours, Stoner argues, we at least ought to know what we've abandoned or suppressed in the name of judicial activism and the modern rights-oriented Constitution. Having lost our way, perhaps the common law, in its original sense, provides a way back, a viable alternative to the debilitating relativism of our current age.

Presents an ambitious narrative and fresh re-assessment of common law and natural law's varied interactions in America, 1630 to 1930.

In this study, W. J. Waluchow argues that debates between defenders and critics of constitutional bills of rights presuppose that constitutions are more or less rigid entities. Within such a conception, constitutions aspire to establish stable, fixed points of agreement and pre-commitment, which defenders consider to be possible and desirable, while critics deem impossible and undesirable. Drawing on reflections about the nature of law, constitutions, the common law, and what it is to be a democratic representative, Waluchow urges a different theory of bills of rights that is flexible and adaptable. Adopting such a theory enables one not only to answer to critics' most serious challenges, but also to appreciate the role that a bill of rights, interpreted and enforced by unelected judges, can sensibly play in a constitutional democracy.

Explains why lawyers seeking gender progress from primary legal materials should start with the common law.

After Edward I became king, Chief Justice Bereford took charge of the legal system and created law in accord with his own sense of justice. Here the most important medieval cases are paraphrased and analyzed, making this interesting and entertaining litigation accessible to everyone.

International Law: Our Common Future offers a dynamic approach to the study of international law that actively engages students in ways that more traditional textbooks do not. One way this is achieved is by focusing on recent events, including international terrorism, extraordinary rendition, the legality of drone strikes, environmental devastation, and human rights. Another is by having students wrestle with actual court rulings rather than being given short summaries of these decisions. These cases, which are from a wide array of international, regional, and domestic tribunals, are followed by a series of provocative and challenging questions and prompts that will naturally lead to classroom discussion and debate. The book recognizes the importance of visual media in terms of student learning. In addition to photographs of individuals and events that feature prominently in the development of international law, each chapter has sections entitled "International Law at the Movies" which highlight feature films and documentaries that explore the topic at hand. What students will quickly come to realize is that international law is not a distant and abstract entity, but rather, is intimately connected to various aspects of their daily lives. The book shows some of the remarkable changes in international law, most notably the declining importance of the role of the state. As a final point, the book is written in an engaging, almost conversational, style that is accessible to students in a wide array of academic disciplines. FEATURES OF THIS INNOVATIVE TEXT This book is specifically designed to appeal to student interest, to promote active learning, and to integrate carefully edited court cases with explanatory text. Here are just a few of the features devoted to achieving these goals: Boxed text highlighting current events “International Law at the Movies” boxes Photos illustrating key moments and figures in international law Cases carefully edited and set off from the main text Notes and Comments following court case excerpts References for each chapter divided into key types of sources including Books and Articles, Reports, Agreements, and Cases (international, regional, and domestic tribunals) Glossary of key terms putting terms in context with events Filmography Table of Cases with links to original sources A NOTE ABOUT THE COVER ART Title: “María, inside since April 14, 2014” Artist: Ben Betsalel The cover image is from a prison project in Colombia, "Human Beings Inside and Outside," done in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

A new approach to the telling of legal history, devoid of jargon and replete with good stories, which will be of interest to anyone wishing to know more about the common law - the spinal cord of the English body politic.

Originally published: 5th ed. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1956.