More Legal Fictions: A Series of Cases from Shakespeare

Out of Print

Last year Mr Polak made a lively contribution to the Season's literature with his Legal Fictions drawn from the stories of classical mythology.

In this companion volume the cases are culled from the plays of Shakespeare, whose familiar characters make their appearance in the modern courts. In the judgments the author neatly parodies the modern judicial idiom and reproduces the features which made the original work such a success.

Here are a few of the points arising in these actions:-

• SHYLOCK v. ANTONIO: Bond involving payment in flesh-whether contrary to public policy.
• THE THREE WITCHES' CASE: Offences committed when in course of transit by broomstick - where triable - whether broomstick British Aircraft.
• BOTTOM V. GOODFELLOW: Ass's head placed on plaintiff's head - whether amounting to libel or slander.
• CAPULET v. MONTAGUE: Survivorship of parties to suicide pact.
• HAMLET: Ghost subpoenaed as witness in murder trial.

  The illustrations are by the same artist, Diana Pullinger, and in its legal and literary flavour the book will no doubt make as strong an appeal to the lover of humerous literature as its predecessor.