English Legal History
Eben Moglen
Columbia Law School
Fall 2007
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Following is
a schedule of the required readings. The text referred to is J.H. Baker,
An Introduction to English Legal History (4th ed. 2002). The
compilation of primary sources is J.H. Baker & S.F.C. Milsom,
Sources of English Legal History: Private Law to 1750
(1986). The Sources volume may not be obtainable, and we will
provide scanned pages online for consultation by those who cannot
obtain the book. Recommended reading appears at the end of each
section in Baker, for those wishing to supplement the
text. Supplementary readings in primary sources may also appear here
from time to time.
- I.
- Institutions
- 1.
- Pre-Norman Roots and the Origin of the Common Law
Baker 1-37
- 2.
- Nature of Primary Sources
Baker 175-195
- 3.
- Development of the Royal Courts
Baker 37-53, 135-155
- 4.
- Development of the Legal Profession
Baker 155-172
- 5.
- Writs and Counts
Baker 53-69, 539-552
- 6.
- Pleading
Baker 71-97, 554-558
- 7.
- Equity
Baker 97-126
- 8.
- Legislation
Baker 204-212
- II.
- Land Law
- 1.
- "Feudalism"
Baker 223-247; Baker & Milsom 1-10, 11-36
- 2.
- Uses
Baker 248-257; Baker & Milsom 94-133, 134-176
- 3.
- Estates
Baker 259-279
- 4.
- Settlement
Baker 280-297; Baker & Milsom 37-93
- 5.
- Lesser Interests in Land
Baker 298-316; Baker & Milsom 177-208
- III.
- Contract
- 1.
- Covenant and Debt
Baker 317-328; Baker & Milsom 278-288, 209-263
- 2.
- Assumpsit
Baker 329-361; Baker & Milsom 358-523
- IV.
- Tort
- 1.
- Things: Detinue and Conversion
Baker 379-400; Baker & Milsom 264-277, 524-551
- 2.
- Negligence & Nuisance
Baker 401-435; Baker & Milsom 552-580, 581-610
- 3.
- Defamation
Baker 436-447; Baker & Milsom 623-655
- V.
- Crime
- 1.
- Criminal Procedure to 1650
Baker 500-520
- 2.
- Substantive Criminal Law to 1650
Baker 521-536
- 3.
- Crime & Criminal Procedure in the Eighteenth Century
A
self-scheduled twenty-four hour take-home exam will be administered.
Students may substitute a paper for the examination with permission.
Those wishing to elect a paper must do so within the first three weeks
of the semester.