The Common Law

The Common Law is a book written by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., a renowned American jurist and Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Published in 1881, the book is a collection of essays that explores the development of the common law system in England and the United States.In the book, Holmes argues that the common law is not a static set of rules, but rather a living, evolving system that adapts to changing social and cultural conditions. He also discusses the role of judges in interpreting and applying the law, and the importance of precedent in shaping legal decisions.The Common Law is widely regarded as a seminal work in the field of legal philosophy and has had a significant impact on the development of American jurisprudence. It is considered essential reading for law students and legal scholars, as well as anyone interested in the history and evolution of the common law system.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.