A collection of some of the most famous cases in English law - with an explantion of how they changed things - by two leading commentators. Every UK lawyer knows of Woolmington v. Director of Public Prosecutions, the ruling which established the Ã«golden thread of English lawÃ whereby the burden of proof lies with the prosecutor in a criminal trial, even in the case of murder. But who was Ã«WoolmingtonÃ and how many people know that he escaped the death penalty at the eleventh hour, or that he was twice tried for murder? Ã«Lords give man back his lifeÃ as the Western Gazette put it. Likewise, in the civil law, how and why did a Mrs. Donoghue come to be drinking a bottle of ginger beer containing the remnants of a snail, an event which would ultimately determine Ã± at the highest level - that Ã«the categories of negligence are never closedÃ? And how did the tranquil market town of Wednesbury come to be legal shorthand for Ã«unreasonablenessÃ. In Famous Cases: Nine Trials that Changed the Law the authors have painstakingly assembled the background to a selection of leading cases in English law. From the Mareva case (synonymous with a type of injunction) to Lord DenningÃs classic ruling in the High Trees House case (the turning point for equitable estoppel) to that of the former Chilean head of state General Pinochet (in which the House of Lords heard the facts a second time) the authors offer a refreshing perspective to whet the appetite of every law student, general reader or seasoned practitioner interested in how English law evolves.

Famous Cases: Nine Trials that Changed the Law

History

Hostettler, John

Block, Brian P

Europe

Waterside Press

<p>The definitive account of the long road to abolition in the UK by two highly respected commentators - a classic of the genre.</p>

Hanging in the Balance: A History of the Abolition of Capital Punishment in Britain

BLOCK

Legal History

This intriguing book highlights differences in how crime is portrayed in the arts compared to reality, focusing on the roles of the police, courts and forensic investigators. Of interest to criminologists, sociologists, lawyers and other criminal justice personnel, it will also appeal to anyone interested in crime and punishment. What we see or read in the media follows a formula inviting suspension of disbelief. It is a long way from what happens in real life and the book contains vivid examples, contrasts and comparisons. As the author points out, from Shakespeare to Harold Pinter, Dickens to P D James and as between authors, dramatists and filmmakers of all kinds the rules are frequently broken by dramatic licence, structural demands, the need for a good ending and entertainment. A book to read, enjoy and learn a great deal from: whether it is Agatha Christie, Dixon of Dock Green, Patricia Cornwell, Kavanagh QC, Kathy Reichs, Sherlock Holmes, Waking the Dead, García Márquez, A Touch of Frost, Edgar Allan Poe, Heartbeat or lesser known writers, works or fictional creations. Brian P Block was a justice of the peace for many years and spent his professional career testing medicines. He holds degrees in criminal justice and pharmacology among others. A Fullbright and post-doctoral scholar at Yale University, USA he has been a frequent contributor to legal journals. He is the author of three previous Waterside Press publications: Hanging in the Balance: A History of Capital Punishment in Britain (1997), Famous Cases: Nine Trials that Changed the Law (2002) (both with John Hostettler) and The Pain and the Pride: Tales from the Colorado Boot Camp (2000).

Crime in Fact and Fiction: Brian P Block

Humor & Entertainment

Television

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Block, Brian P. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Block, Brian P