The Common Law

""The Common Law"" by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. is a classic work of legal philosophy that explores the development and principles of the common law system in the United States. Originally published in 1881, this book has become a cornerstone of legal scholarship and is still widely read and studied today. Holmes, who later became a Supreme Court Justice, argues that the common law is not a set of fixed rules, but rather a dynamic and evolving system that is shaped by the social, economic, and political forces of its time. He explores the role of judges in interpreting and applying the law, the importance of precedent, and the relationship between law and morality. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and philosophy of American law, and it remains a seminal work in the field of legal theory.1881. Underneath the enormous structure of codes, acts and laws to which each generation adds another story lies the cornerstone of the common law. It is not of itself a law nor yet a code of laws. Lawyers cannot refer to it by chapter and verse. It comprises the fundamental ideas, the philosophy of law. As such it has long attracted the thoughtful layman in the same way that he is attracted to the philosophy of religion or ethics or any other fundamental ideas of civilization. The Common Law by Holmes is probably the most famous exposition of this subject. The book was developed from a series of Lowell lectures addressed to a lay audience. It may well be unique among famous law books in that it was not written specifically for lawyers. In one other respect it is unusual. It has never been revised in the more than seventy-five years of its existence. The common law is one thing that has changed little from one generation to the next. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.