Subjects:

Legal Skills and Method

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

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.