A history of continental criminal law

By Carl Ludwig Von Bar, Ludwig Von Bar, Thomas Sydney Bell

Book Overview

How did Europe learn to punish? Law has a long memory. In this lucid criminal law treatise, Carl Ludwig Von Bar follows the evolution of criminal law across the civil law tradition, showing how ideas of guilt, proof, and public authority hardened into the continental penal codes that shaped modern courts. Written with a comparative legal history sensibility, it reads as both narrative and argument, moving from Roman law influence through medieval practice into the pressures of Early modern Europe and the dawn of codification. As a classic legal history text, Von Bar's study remains a touchstone for Continental Europe history and for anyone comparing systems beyond the common law. Scholars of comparative criminal justice will value its careful distinctions between local custom, learned doctrine, and state power; general readers will find a clear map of why European criminal law became what it is. It also stands as a law school textbook in spirit: disciplined, wide-ranging, and precise, yet readable enough to consult in moments of real curiosity. Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this complete law reference volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today - a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike. For the collector of foundational legal works, it is more than a period piece: it is a working library companion, and a window into the moral and institutional choices that still echo in courtrooms. Lasting guidance for historians, lawyers, and readers drawn to legal history.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 935370409X
• ISBN13: 9789353704094
• Release Date: May 2019
• Publisher: Alpha Edition
• Length: 620 Pages
• Weight: 1.98 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"