xiii, 287 pages : 19 cm "First published in 1945, Glanville Williams: Learning the Law has been introducing readers to the skills needed to study law for over half a century. It is a cherished favourite among readers and considered the classic must-have book for every student beginning to study the law. Now revised and updated for its 15th edition, Learning the Law is one of the most commonly recommended titles for students beginning university law courses. "--Publisher's website Previous edition: 2010 Includes bibliographical references Machine generated contents note: 1.The Divisions of the Law -- Crimes and civil wrongs -- The courts -- Courts with civil jurisdiction -- Court of Appeal (Civil Division) -- County courts -- Magistrates' courts -- Appeals to the Supreme Court -- Courts with criminal jurisdiction -- The classification of offences -- Crown Court -- Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) -- The terminology of criminal procedure -- Other courts -- European Court of Justice -- European Court of Human Rights -- Judicial Committee of the Privy Council -- Other courts and tribunals -- Elementary legal terminology -- Civil terminology -- Criminal terminology -- Classification of civil wrongs -- Public and private law -- Common law and equity -- Legislation -- Common law -- Equity -- Common law as made by the judges -- Further reading -- 2.The Mechanism of Scholarship -- Navigating the law library -- The Law Library -- Law reports -- Neutral citation -- Court of Appeal -- High Court Note continued: The structure of a law report -- The commercially published and specialist law reports -- The English Reports -- How to find a reference -- Abbreviations: law reports and periodicals -- Scottish decisions -- Two references given -- Square and round brackets -- Electronic searching -- Titles of cases -- Pronouncing case names -- Statutes -- The state of the statute book -- The citation of statutes -- The parts of a statute -- Statutory instruments -- Periodicals -- 3.The European Dimension -- The European Union -- The principal institutions -- Council of Ministers -- The European Council -- Commission -- European Parliament -- European Court of Justice -- The role of the court: the preliminary ruling procedure -- Court of Auditors -- Other relevant institutions -- Sources of law -- The law-making procedure -- Official publications -- Official Journal -- How to cite legislative Acts -- Citation of court reports -- Other publications -- Databases Note continued: European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998 -- European Court of Human Rights -- Publications -- European Court -- Commission -- Human Rights Act 1998 -- The influence of Europe -- a preliminary assessment -- 4.Methods of Study -- Textbooks -- Cases and materials books -- Lectures and classes -- Taking notes -- Using shorthand -- The study of history -- 5.Technical Terms -- Latin and French -- Dictionaries -- Pronunciation -- Legal abbreviations -- Judicial titles -- Citations and cross-references -- 6.Case Law Technique -- Ratio decidendi -- Distinguishing -- Obiter dictum -- How much of a case to remember -- Divergent opinions -- The hierarchy of authority -- Precedent in the House of Lords and Supreme Court -- Court of Appeal -- Divisional Court -- Circumstances affecting the weight of a decision -- Judicial law-making -- Further reading -- 7.The Interpretation of Statutes -- The structure of a statute Note continued: The importance of context -- Definition sections -- Interpretation in the light of policy: fringe meaning -- The literal rule -- A "purposive" approach: the mischief rule -- Pepper v Hart -- Interpretations to avoid absurdity: the golden rule -- Presumptions -- Human Rights Act 1998, s.3 -- Further reading -- 8.Working Out Problems -- Facts stated in the problem are conclusive -- Omitted facts -- Two points of technique -- Rules and authorities -- Doubt -- Problems on statutes -- Relevancy -- Questions divided into parts -- The overlapping of subjects -- Answering problems in criminal law -- Answering problems in tort -- 9.Answering Essay Questions -- Subdivided questions -- Relevancy -- Getting at the point -- Introducing cases into an answer -- The succinct way of stating cases -- Criticism -- Use of forensic mannerisms -- The arrangement and wording of the answer -- 10.In the Exam Room -- First read the paper -- Choice of questions -- Names of cases Note continued: Handwriting, orthography and grammar -- The pressure of time -- Self-contradiction -- Further reading -- 11.Moots, Mock Trials and Other Competitions -- Moots -- Other competitions -- Speaking in public -- Mock trials -- Further reading -- 12.Legal Research -- The electronic sources -- Ascertaining the state of the law -- Treatises and other legal works -- Electronic sources -- Electronic research -- Statutes -- Decided cases and cases judicially considered -- Statutory instruments -- Academic research -- Dissertations -- Amount of supervision and contact with supervisor -- Size of the dissertation -- Finding a topic -- Finding materials -- The writing process -- Timetable -- Plagiarism -- Periodical literature -- Government publications -- Command papers -- European Union law -- Commonwealth law -- New Zealand -- American material -- Libraries -- Grammar and style -- 13.From Learning to Earning -- Practice at the Bar -- Finding a pupillage Note continued: Pro bono work -- Forms of address -- Taking silk -- Further reading -- The bar as a stepping stone -- Solicitors -- Further reading -- Government Legal Service -- Local government -- Crown Prosecution Service -- Civil service: general category -- Business management -- Teaching -- Accountancy -- Legal publishing and court reporting -- Applying for jobs -- some general advice -- 14.General Reading -- Fiction -- Biographies -- Trials -- Essays -- Humour -- Drama -- Film -- History -- The Constitution -- Jurisprudence, logic, philosophy and economics