Law and Jurisprudence in American History: Cases and Materials

by Stephen B. Presser and Jamil S. Zainaldin

Book Overview

Originally published in 1980, this text was the first casebook in the field of American legal history. It encouraged the formation of the modern discipline of American legal history, sought to create... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0314145486
• ISBN13: 9780314145482
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: West Group Publishing
• Length: 1196 Pages
• Weight: 4.55 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A great teacher, a great book

Like the reviewer below, I was one of Presser's student at Northwestern University. This book was the most important, most influential book I purchased at NU. It begins with the confrontation between Sir Edward Coke and James I about whether the common law controlled the King's prerogative. Presser exploits the drama inherent in this piece of history to set up one of the main themes in the text: if one is going to have any conception of human rights at all, the restraint of arbitrary power is fundamental; the rule of law is vital. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in the English common law, the U.S. Constitution, or the rights of a people to throw off a government (or a politician) guilty of an abuse of power. I was a better citizen for having read it.In the classroom, Presser's love of the law, of legal history and reasoned debate was awe-inspiring. His book re-establishes an important cultural meme that appears to have gone underground in the 21st century: the idea that liberty can not exist unless there is law, and law can not exist without morality.

Brilliant overview of American Legal History

I was fortunate to take Professor Presser's American Legal History class while I was on exchange at Northwestern University and this was our textbook. As an Australian studying law in the US I was very interested in finding out about how the American Legal System developed. I felt the only way I could understand the present would be to look to the past and Presser's book was perfect for this purpose.This book struck me as being exceptionally well put together; with insightful commentary on the selected readings and questions to enhance your understanding of the issues.Perhaps the most refreshing characteristic of this book is its balance - it puts both sides of the controversial issues it considers so that we can make up our own mind.It has given me a much deeper understanding of the American Legal System and American Society in general.