The English legal system

The 8th edition provides a general historical introduction to the English legal system before examining court proceedings in detail. No prior knowledge of law is assumed in this work, which is designed to cater both for candidates on full-time degree courses and for those from other disciplines who require information on the laws. A major expansion in this edition has been in the field of sources of law additional to precedent and statute, namely custom and practice, inherent jurisdiction, proportionality, legitimate expectations, public policy, public interest and commercial efficacy. The chapter on legal aid has been rewritten to take into account the new basis of legal aid, and coverage of the impact of European Community law has been increased. A number of developments since the last edition have been discussed, including the setting up of the Crown Prosecution Service and the possibility of reviewing over-lenient sentences. Changes effected by the "Children Act 1989", the "Criminal Justice Act 1988" and the "Legal Aid Act 1988" are amongst some of the statutory innovations incorporated in this volume.