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HONOUR SCHOOL OF JURISPRUDENCE Flipbook PDF
part of the Constitutional Law paper in Law Moderations. Happy reading! We look forward to seeing you in October, when t
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LADY MARGARET HALL Oxford OX2 6QA
From: The Law Tutors
HONOUR SCHOOL OF JURISPRUDENCE It is not our practice to send new undergraduates a long list of preliminary reading before the beginning of their first term; books on law tend of necessity to be technical and detailed and so not suitable for preliminary reading. However, given the short space of time between coming into residence and the first University examination (Law Moderations at the end of the second term), it is very important that you do some preliminary reading before you arrive. What follows is a list of material you should cover before you arrive. All the books listed are available in paperback. GENERAL 1. Glanville Williams: Learning the Law, 14th edition by A.T.H. Smith (Sweet & Maxwell 2010). This is a very well established book which is essential reading for first year undergraduates at the beginning of their course. It is full of useful information about how to find your way round a law library, how to read legal materials, etc. and it also has a chapter of suggested general reading, both serious and humorous. Also recommended: What About Law? Studying Law at University by Janet O'Sullivan, Graham Virgo, Catherine Barnard (2n edn, Hart Publishing 2011)
THE ENGLISH LEGAL SYSTEM 1. Walker & Walker’s English Legal System, 11th edition, by R. Ward and A. Akhtar (Oxford University Press, 2011). Questions are set on the English Legal System in the Constitutional Law examination and, of course, it is essential background for understanding case law material. There have been many recent changes, particularly in the areas of Human Rights and Civil and Criminal Procedure, and it is important to get an overall view of these. You also need to understand the hierarchy of courts and routes for appeal (you may find it helpful to draw a diagram of the structure). If you cannot obtain Walker & Walker, an alternative is The English Legal System in Context, 5th revised edition by F. Cownie, A. Bradley and M. Burton (Butterworths, 2010).
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The work for the first two terms comprises courses in Constitutional law, Criminal law and A Roman Introduction to Private Law. We will tell you about textbooks you need to buy for these courses when you arrive; they can often be purchased secondhand before the beginning of Michaelmas Term and will also be available in the College law library and the Bodleian Law Library. However, in the meantime, you should read the books listed below. This will make it much easier for you to grasp the subjects and to follow the lectures once you are in Oxford.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW You will be studying Constitutional law over your first two terms at Oxford. Please make sure to read one of these introductory textbooks over the summer so that you have a basic grasp of the subject before you start your course. 1. Either Understanding Public Law, Hilaire Barnett (2010, Routledge Cavendish). Or 2. The Foundations of Public Law Keith Syrett, (Palgrave Macmillan 2011).
CRIMINAL LAW 1. Criminal Law: Text, Cases, and Materials, 4th ed., by J. Herring (OUP, 2010), pages 176 and 2. Principles of Criminal Law, 6th ed., by A. Ashworth (OUP, 2009) pages 1-83.
ROMAN LAW A Roman Introduction to Private Law is a compulsory paper in Law Moderations. This subject is an introduction to the legal concepts and legal thought which for centuries have been directly influenced by Roman Law. It is very important that you read the following book before starting the course in October. 1. An Introduction to Roman Law, B. Nicholas (Clarendon Law Series, Oxford University Press).
ADDITIONAL READING If you have time, there are other books that you might find interesting and helpful for your studies, but which you do not have to read before arriving at Oxford: 1. Studying Law, 5th edition by P.H. Kenny (Butterworths, 2002).
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2. For consultation in the library in your first year: How to Write Law Essays and Exams, 3rd edition, S.I..Strong (Oxford University Press, 2010), and How to Moot – A Student Guide to Mooting, J. Snape and G. Watt (2nd edn, Oxford University Press, 2010). 3. The Discipline of Law, Lord Denning (Butterworths). This provides an interesting insight into case law and development as seen through the eyes of one celebrated and radical judge. (Note you do not need to understand all the technical questions of law with which the author deals). 4. Law and Modern Society, 2nd revised edition by P.S. Atiyah (Oxford University Press, 1985), also Law in Modern Society, Denis Galligan (Oxford University Press, 2006). Both give a general but individual view of the role of law. Legal Philosophy (Jurisprudence) is a compulsory subject and an introductory text is Philosophy of Law: A Very Short Introduction, Raymond Wacks (Oxford University Press, 2006). 5. A Critical Introduction to European Law, 3rd revised edition by I. Ward (Butterworths, 2009) European Community Law is, of course, part of English Law, and it is obviously important that you have some background knowledge of the development of the European Union. The institutional structure and the effect of EC Law are examined as part of the Constitutional Law paper in Law Moderations.
Happy reading! We look forward to seeing you in October, when there will be plenty of opportunities for you to ask questions and to explore these issues with your tutors.
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