The Yale Law School Guide to Research in American Legal History
John B Nann and Morris L Cohen
Abstract
The study of legal history has a broad application that extends well beyond the interests of legal historians. An attorney arguing a case today may need to cite cases that are decades or even centuries old, and historians studying political or cultural history often encounter legal issues that affect their main subjects. Both groups need to understand the laws and legal practices of past eras. Law plays an important part in the political and social history of the United States. As such, researchers interested in almost every aspect of American life will have occasion to use legal materials. Th ... More
The study of legal history has a broad application that extends well beyond the interests of legal historians. An attorney arguing a case today may need to cite cases that are decades or even centuries old, and historians studying political or cultural history often encounter legal issues that affect their main subjects. Both groups need to understand the laws and legal practices of past eras. Law plays an important part in the political and social history of the United States. As such, researchers interested in almost every aspect of American life will have occasion to use legal materials. The book provides an overview of legal history research, describing the U.S. legal system and legal authority. It is essential reference is intended for the many nonspecialists who need to enter this arcane and often tricky area of research.
Keywords:
legal history,
legal practices,
legal historians,
U.S. legal system,
legal authority
Bibliographic Information
Print publication date: 2018 |
Print ISBN-13: 9780300118537 |
Published to Yale Scholarship Online: May 2019 |
DOI:10.12987/yale/9780300118537.001.0001 |
Authors
Affiliations are at time of print publication.
John B Nann, author
Yale Law School
Morris L Cohen, author
Yale Law School
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