LEGAL METHOD AND INTRODUCTION TO

LEGAL SYSTEM

SEMESTER – I

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

COURSE MODULE

HIDAYATULLAH NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY,

NAYA RAIPUR (C.G.)
LEGAL METHOD AND INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL SYSTEM

FACULTY: DR. DEEPAK KUMAR SRIVASTAVA

MR. ANKIT AWASTHI
MS. KUHU TIWARI

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, (1 st 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, (1 st ed.),
Allahabad Law Agency, (2008), (Chapter 1 at p. 15-31).
4. S.N. Dhyani, Jurisprudence and Indian Legal Theory, Central Law Agency.
5. Nomita Aggarwal, Jurisprudence (Legal Theory).
6. B.N.M. Tripathi, An Introduction to Jurisprudence and Legal Theory.

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

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, (1 st ed.),
Allahabad Law Agency, (2008), (Chapter 1 at p. 18-21).
 4. S.R. Myneni, Legal Language and Legal Writing, (1 st 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
d) Legal Maxims:
i. Ejusdem generis
ii. Noscitur-a-sociis
iii. Reddendo singula singulis
iv. Expressio unius est exclusio alterius
v. Ut res magis valeat quam pereat

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: Pros and Cons
b) Writ Jurisdiction
c) Public Interest Litigation

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) Historical background of Indian Legal System
b) Indian Court Structure
 Supreme Court
 High Courts and
 Subordinate Courts
c) Supreme Court of India (Jurisdiction)
 Original Jurisdiction
 Appellate Jurisdiction
 Advisory Jurisdiction
References:
Books:
1. S.R. Myneni, Legal Language and Legal Writing, (1 st 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, (2 nd 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, OSCOLA and ILI.
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. Sharon Hanson, Legal Method & Reasoning
2. Linda Mulcahy, Legal Methods and Systems: Text and Materials
3. Granville Williams, Learning the Law.
4. HLA Hart, The Concept of Law.
5. Benjamin N. Cardozo, ‘The Nature of Judicial Process’.
6. Salmond, Jurisprudence.
7. G W Paten, A Textbook of Jurisprudence.
8. Lloyds’s, Introduction to Jurisprudence.
9. Joseph Raz, The Functions of Law
10. Joseph Raz, The authority of law: Essays on Law and Morality
11. MP Singh, Outlines of Indian Legal and Constitutional History.
12. Zia Mody, 10 Judgments that changed India.
13. Andrew Goodman, How Judges Decide Cases: Reading, Writing and
analyzing Judgements
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
Articles:

1. Roland R. Foulke, Definition and Nature of Law, Columbia Law Review, Vol.
19, No. 5 (Nov., 1919), pp. 351-378
2. John P. Humphrey, On the Definition and Nature of Laws, The Modern Law
Review, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Nov., 1945), pp. 194-203
3. Sreenivasa Rao Pemmaraju, The nature and function of international law: an
evolving international rule of law, Indian Journal of International Law,
December 2015, Volume 55, Issue 4, pp 459–491, Springer India
4. Helen Silving, A Plea for a Law of Interpretation, University of Pennsylvania
Law Review, Vol. 98, No. 4 (Mar., 1950), pp. 499-529
5. Harry W. Jones, Notes On The Teaching Of Legal Method, Journal of Legal
Education, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Autumn, 1948), pp. 13-27
6. Bruce A. Kimball, The Proliferation of Case Method Teaching in American
Law Schools: Mr. Langdell's Emblematic "Abomination," 1890-1915, History
of Education Quarterly, Vol. 46, No. 2 (Summer, 2006), pp. 192-247
7. Alan L. Tyree, Fact Content Analysis Of Case Law: Methods And Limitations,
Jurimetrics, Vol. 22, No. 1 (Fall 1981), pp. 1-33
8. A. L. Goodhart, The Ratio Decidendi of a Case, The Modern Law Review, Vol.
22, No. 2 (Mar., 1959), pp. 117-124
9. Julius Stone, The Ratio of the Ratio Decidendi, The Modern Law Review, Vol.
22, No. 6 (Nov., 1959), pp. 597-620
10. J. L. Montrose, Ratio Decidendi and the House of Lords, The Modern Law
Review, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Mar., 1957), pp. 124-130
11. Richard H. Fallon, Jr., "The Rule of Law" as a Concept in Constitutional
Discourse, Columbia Law Review, Vol. 97, No. 1 (Jan., 1997), pp. 1-56
12. Séamus Murphy, The Rule of Law: What Law? Whose Rule?, Studies: An Irish
Quarterly Review, Vol. 95, No. 380 (Winter, 2006), pp. 397-406
13. Laurence Claus, Montesquieu's Mistakes and the True Meaning of Separation,
Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, Vol. 25, No. 3 (Autumn, 2005), pp. 419-451
14. Jamie Cassels, Judicial Activism and Public Interest Litigation in India:
Attempting the Impossible?, The American Journal of Comparative Law, Vol.
37, No. 3 (Summer, 1989), pp. 495-519
15. A. G. Noorani, Public Interest Litigation, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.
19, No. 36 (Sep. 8, 1984), pp. 1568-1569
16. Richard A. Posner, Statutory Interpretation: In the Classroom and in the
Courtroom, The University of Chicago Law Review, Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 800-
822.
17. Richard A. Posner, Legal Formalism, Legal Realism, And The Interpretation
Of Statutes And The Constitution, 37 Case W. Res. L. Rev. 179 1986-1987
18. Keenan D. Kmiec, The Origin and Current Meanings of "Judicial Activism"
California Law Review, Vol. 92, No. 5 (Oct., 2004), pp. 1441-1477
19. Ramaswamy R. Iyer, Linking of Rivers: Judicial Activism or Error? Economic
and Political Weekly, Vol. 37, No. 46 (Nov. 16-22, 2002), pp. 4595-4596
20. S. K. Patnaik and Swaleha Akhtar, Judicial Activism In India: Myth And
Reality, The Indian Journal of Political Science, Vol. 58, No. 1/4 (1997), pp.
79-92
21. T. C. A. Anant and Jaivir Singh, An Economic Analysis of Judicial Activism,
Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 37, No. 43 (Oct. 26 - Nov. 1, 2002), pp.
4433-4439
22. P.N. BHAGWATI, Judicial Activism and Public Interest Litigation, 23 Colum.
J. Transnat'l L. 561 1984-1985
23. William Lucy, Abstraction and the Rule of Law, Oxford Journal of Legal
Studies, Vol. 29, No. 3 (Autumn, 2009), pp. 481-509
24. Videh Upadhyay, Relocating the Narmada Judgment: A Rejoinder, Economic
and Political Weekly, Vol. 36, No. 39 (Sep. 29 - Oct. 5, 2001), pp. 3791-3792