LEGAL METHOD AND INTRODUCTION TO

LEGAL SYSTEM

SEMESTER – I

B.A.LL.B. (HONS.)

COURSE MODULE

HIDAYATULLAH NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY,

RAIPUR (C.G.), 2016
LEGAL METHOD AND INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL SYSTEM
FACULTY: MS. ANUKRITI MISHRA
MR. ANKIT AWASTHI
MRS. STUTI B. NANDA

Module – I Nature and Functions of Law

Unit-I
a) Meaning and Definition of Law
b) Functions and Purpose of Law
c) Classification of Law
i) Public and Private Law
ii) Criminal and Civil Law
iii) Civil and Common Law
iv) Substantive and Procedural Law
v) Municipal and International Law
References:
Books:
1. S.R. Myneni, Legal Language and Legal Writing, (1st ed.), Asia Law House,
Hyderabad, 2008 (Chapter 10 (Unit I)).
2. V.D. Mahajan, Jurisprudence and Legal Theory, (5th ed.), Eastern Book Co.,
Lucknow, 2005 (Chapters 2 & 5).
3. S.K. Mishra, Legal Language, Legal Writing & General English, (1st ed.),
Allahabad Law Agency, (2008), ( Chapter 1 at p. 15-31).
4. S.N. Dhyani, Jurisprudence and Indian Legal Theory,Central Law Agency.

Module – II Sources of Law

Unit-I
a) Sources of Law: Meaning and Types
i) Custom: Definition, Essentials, Types
ii) Precedent: Definition, Essentials, Types
iii) Legislation: Definition, Essentials, Types
b) Other Sources of Law: Primary and Secondary Sources of Law

References:
Books:
1. V.D. Mahajan, Jurisprudence and Legal Theory, (5th ed.), Eastern Book Co.,
Lucknow, 2005 (Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11).
2. S. N. Dhyani, Jurisprudence & Indian Legal Theory, Central Law Agency
(Chapters 13, 14).
3. S.K. Mishra, Legal Language, Legal Writing & General English, (1st ed.),
Allahabad Law Agency, (2008), (Chapter 1 at p. 18-21).
4. S.R. Myneni, Legal Language and Legal Writing, (1st ed.), Asia Law House,
Hyderabad, 2008 (Chapter 10 p.176-182).
Module – III Fundamentals of Statutory Interpretation
Unit-I
a) What is Statute Law?
b) Rules of Interpretation : Literal, Golden and Mischief
c) Aid to Interpretation of Statutes: Internal and External
References:
Books:
1. V.D. Mahajan, Jurisprudence and Legal Theory, (5th ed.), Eastern Book Co.,
Lucknow, 2005 (Chapter 9 p.195 - 214).
2. P. St. J. Langan, The Interpretation of Statute, (12th ed.), Lexis Nexis, (2004).
3. William N. Eskridge, Jr., Dynamic Statutory Interpretation, Universal Law
Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., (2000).

Module – IV Judgment Analysis and Precedent

Unit-I
a) Necessity and application of Case Law Method in the Study of Law
b) Parts of a Judgment: Ratio-decidendi and Obiter dicta
c) Determining the Ratio-decidendi of a Case
d) Importance of Dissent

References:
Books:
1. V.D. Mahajan, Jurisprudence and Legal Theory, (5th ed.), Eastern Book Co.,
Lucknow, 2005 (Chapter 10 at p.115 - 253).
2. Sharon Hanson, Legal Method, Cavendish Publishing Ltd. (Chapter 4 at p. 59
- 98).
3. A. Lakshminath, Precedent in the Indian Legal System, Eastern Book
Company, 1990 (Chapter 1).
4. Andrew Goodman, How Judges decide Cases, Universal Law Publishing Co.,
(2009).
5. Edgar Bodenheimer, Jurisprudence, Universal Law Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd.,
2006 (Chapter 18).

Module – V Legal and Judicial Process

Unit-I
a) Concept of Rule of Law
b) Doctrine of Separation of Power
c) Delegated Legislation: Meaning, importance, types and control over
Delegated Legislation
Unit-II
a) Judicial Activism: Meaning and legitimacy
b) Judicial over-activism
c) Writ Jurisdiction
d) Social Action Litigation and Public Interest Litigation: Locus Standi

References:
Books:
1. S.P. Sathe, Administrative Law, (7th ed.), Lexis Nexis, 2007 (Chapter 2, 4)
 2. Subhash C. Kashyap, Parliamentary Procedure, Universal Law Publishing Co.
Pvt. Ltd. Vol. 1, 2000, (at Chapter 15, p. 817).
3. Noor Mohammad Bilal, Dyanamism of Judicial Control and Administrative
Adjudication, Deep & Deep Publication, (2004).
4. S.P. Sathe, Judicial Activism in India, Oxford University Press, 2008 (Chapter
VII).
5. I.P. Massey, Administrative Law, Eastern Book Company, (7th ed.), 2008,
(Chapters 2, 3 at p. 48-60, 4 at p.84 – 97, 8 at p. 403, 9).
6. M.P. Jain, Indian Constitutional Law, (5th ed.), Wadhawa, Nagpur, (2004).

Module – VI Indian Legal System

Unit-I
a) Indian Court Structure
 Supreme Court
 High Courts and
 Subordinate Courts
b) Supreme Court of India (Jurisdiction)
 Original Jurisdiction
 Appellate Jurisdiction
 Advisory Jurisdiction
References:
Books:
1. S.R. Myneni, Legal Language and Legal Writing, (1st ed.), Asia Law House,
Hyderabad, 2008 (Chapters 4 (Unit II).
2. M.P. Jain, Indian Constitutional Law, (5th ed.), Wadhawa, Nagpur, (2004).
3. Arvind Datar, Commentary on the Constitution of India, (2nd edn.), Wadhawa,
Nagpur, (2007).
4. P.M. Bakshi, The Constitution of India, (7th ed.), Universal Law Pub., New
Delhi, (2006).

Module – VII Legal Research

Unit-I
a) Defining Research/Legal Research
b) Importance of Legal Research
c) Legal Research – Techniques and Types/Kinds
d) Meaning/importance of Citations: 19th ed. Bluebook: Uniform mode of
Citation
References:
Books:
1. Robert Watt, Concise Legal Research, (5th ed.), Universal Law Pub. Pvt. Co.,
New Delhi, 2004 (Chapter 1).
2. S.K. Verma and M. Afzal Wani, Legal Research and Methodology, (2nd ed.),
The Indian Law Institute, 2001 (Chapter Part- B p.219-240).
3. Sharon Hanson, Legal Method, Cavendish Pub. Ltd., London, (1999).
4. S.R. Myneni, Legal Research Methodology, (3rd ed.), Allahabad Law Agency,
2004 (Chapter 12)
5. S.K. Mishra, Legal Language, Legal Writing and General English, (1st ed.),
Allahabad Law Agency, 2008 (Chapter12)
Compulsory Readings:
Books:
1. Granville Willains, Learning the Law.
2. Nomita Aggarwal, Jurisprudence (Legal Theory).
3. B.N.M. Tripathi, An Introduction to Jurisprudence and Legal Theory.

General Bibliography:
1. Benjamin N. Cardozo, ‘The Nature of Judicial Process’.
2. Andrew Goodman, ‘How Judges Decide Cases: Reading, Writing and
Analysing Judgements’, Universal Law Pub., 2009.

Essential Case Law:

1. Keshavanand Bharati v. State of Kerala 1973 (4) SCC 425
2. D. K. Basu v. State of West Bengal 1997 (1) SCC 417
3. Vishakha v. State of Rajasthan (1997) 6 SCC 241
4. Indira Gandhi v. Raj Narain 1975 supp SCC 1
5. Bandhua Mukti Morcha v. Union of India (1991) 4 SCC 177
6. M. C. Mehta v. Union of India (1987) 1 SCC 395 [Oleum Gas Leakage]
7. A.D.M Jabalpur v. Shiv Kant Shukla (1977) 1 SCC 834
8. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) 1 SCC 248