This course will compare common and civil law approaches to the law of property, contracts, and torts. The common law originated in England and is judge made. The civil law developed from Roman law and, in most jurisdictions today, it is codified. We will look at how England, the United States, France, and Germany deal with some concrete legal problems, and ask whether the differences are due to history, codification, culture or to the problems themselves. The topics chosen will be familiar to the students from their first year. NOTE: Students who previously completed Professor Palmer’s European Legal Systems course may not enroll in this course. (3 Credits)
Fall 2019
James Gordley
Comparative & Civil Law
International & Comparative Law