University of Virginia Library

DEPARTMENT OF LAW.

                   

EDWIN ANDERSON ALDERMAN, D. C. L., LL. D.,	President.
WILLIAM MINOR LILE, LL. D.,	Dean.
WILLIAM MINOR LILE, LL. D.,	Professor of Law.
CHARLES ALFRED GRAVES, M. A., LL. D.,	Professor of Law.
RALEIGH COLSTON MINOR, M. A., LL. B.,	Professor of Law.
ARMISTEAD MASON DOBIE, M. A., LL. B.,	Professor of Law.
—	Professor of Law.
CHARLES WAKEFIELD PAUL,	Adjunct Professor of Public Speaking.
IRA SAMUEL FLORY, B. A. LL. B.,	Instructor in Law.
LLOYD MILEHAM ROBINETTE, B. A., LL. B.,	Instructor in Law.

[Inquiries with reference to Entrance Requirements should be addressed
to the Dean of the University.

For information as to lodgings, board, expenses, etc., and for catalogues
and other printed literature, address the Registrar.

For other information address the Dean of the Law School.]

Among the original schools contemplated in Mr. Jefferson's plan
for the organization of the University of Virginia was "Law: Municipal
and Foreign; Embracing the General Principles, Theory, and Practice
of Jurisprudence, together with the Theory and Principles of
Constitutional Government." Accordingly the School of Law was established
in 1826, and has been in continuous operation since, even
during the four years of the civil war.

From its inception until 1894, the course comprised the work of a
single year. With the session of 1894-95, a two years' course was
inaugurated, which continued up to the session of 1909-10, when the
course was extended to three years.

The aim of the Department of Law has always been to maintain a
high standard as a requirement for graduation—the degree being conferred
only upon such students as are thorough masters of the prescribed
course of study. This policy has been rigorously enforced,

and its wisdom has been vindicated by the high position which
the graduates of the law school are accustomed to attain at the bar
or in public life. The course of instruction has been extended from
time to time to conform to changing conditions and to meet the increasing
needs of the profession. It is confidently believed that the
enlarged course now offered will enable those who complete it more
surely to maintain that rank at the bar which the University has always
expected of her sons.

Formerly it was possible for the law student to begin and complete
his professional studies in the office of some friendly member
of the bar—Blackstone's Commentaries and the Code of his State
forming the main portion of his curriculum. Then the authorities
were few, the leading principles alone were settled, and their application
was comparatively simple. In more recent times, so widened is
the scope of the law, so complex its principles, so nice and yet so
important its distinctions, so numerous and conflicting the authorities,
that it is scarcely practicable for even the most diligent student to
master the subject, in its multiform phases, without the systematic
instruction of skilled teachers. Furthermore, the increased and increasing
scope and rigor of the examinations for admission to the
bar in the several States call for a more extensive course of study
than was afforded in former days by the law school, and a wider and
more intimate knowledge of legal principles than can generally be
acquired by private study. It is a maxim sanctioned by long and wide
experience that "he who is not a good lawyer when he comes to the
bar, will seldom be a good one afterwards." In order to acquire such
thorough knowledge of the elements of the law, thought as well as
reading is requisite; and, for the purpose of thought, there must be
time to digest as well as industry to acquire. One cannot gorge himself
with legal principles and digest them afterwards; the process
of assimilation, if it is to proceed healthfully and beneficially, must
accompany the reception of knowledge.

These considerations have led to a general conviction among the
leaders of professional thought throughout the country that no student
should essay the practice of the law who has not spent at least three
years in close and attentive study in a law school.

Three Years' Course.—The course embraces three years of study,
an outline of which appears below. Candidates for graduation are not
permitted to complete the course in a shorter period.

Admission to Advanced Standing.—No credit is given for attendance
at another law school, nor for time spent in private reading. The candidate
for graduation must spend all three years in residence.

Suggestions as to Preliminary Education.—Students, and their
parents or guardians, are warned that the law is peculiarly an intellectual
profession, and demands for its successful prosecution, whether
at the Law School or in the broader fields of professional life, a well-trained
mind. If it be true that untrained intellects, in rare instances,
under diligent and persistent effort, develop after entrance upon
practice, such exceptional cases but serve to illustrate the rule that out
of a given number of young men entering upon the study of the law,
those with sound preliminary training will have incomparably the advantage,
while those without it will be seriously handicapped, and are
likely never to rise above mediocrity in their profession.

The experience of the Law Faculty—nay, of all law teachers—is,
that the standing and progress of law students are, in large measure,
in the ratio of their academic preparation. Young gentlemen are
therefore advised not to begin their legal studies until they have completed
an academic course approximating that ordinarily required for
the degree of Bachelor of Arts. So high a standard, however, is not
exacted as a condition of entrance into the Law School. These conditions
are shown in the following section, and its references.

Required for Entrance upon the Work of the Department—Regular
Students.—The General Entrance Examination, or admission to
the University by certificate or diploma. For full information see
General University Catalogue, pp. 69-84. Special students are admitted
under conditions shown in the section following. Candidates
for the degree must have attained the age of eighteen before entering
the Law School.

Special Students.—Applicants for registration who are twenty
years old, and desire to enter for the pursuit of special elective
courses, must present adequate proofs of good character and of the
needful maturity and training. Such applicants may then be registered
as Special Students, and will be admitted without formal examination
to the privileges of the Law School, but not as candidates for the degree.

With the admonition that over-zealousness, whereby an ambitious
student is beguiled into the assumption of more work than he can
thoroughly master in a given time, leads to cramming and inaccuracy,
and often to complete failure, the special student is free to select his
own work.

Late Entrance.—Registration commences Thursday, September
15, and the work of the Law School begins promptly the Monday
following. Students are advised that late entrance is a serious hindrance
to progress. The student who enters late must begin his work
at the point to which the work has advanced at the time of his entrance;

and credit for three years' attendance cannot be given unless
the student's actual residence average at least thirty weeks per session.
No registration in absentia is permissible.

As regards conditions of admission in case of late entrance, reference
is made to the Regulations concerning Registration, as stated
ante, p. 89.

Expenses.—A detailed estimate of the necessary expenses of a
student in the Department of Law will be found in an earlier part of
this catalogue, under the general head of "Expenses." The University
fee applicable to all law students, (including those from Virginia) is
$40; and the tuition fee is $100 for the regular work of each session.
For Special Students who desire to take selected courses, the tuition
fee is estimated according to the proportion which the work chosen
bears to the whole.

Plan of Instruction.—The course is planned with a view to acquaint
the student familiarly and practically with the principles of his
profession. Care is taken to teach him to think for himself, and to
rely upon reason and principle, rather than upon memory; it being considered
better that the student follow principle to its legitimate conclusion,
though this be at variance with the decisions of the courts,
than that he should arrive at a faultless result by the exercise of memory
or by accident.

The instruction is as thorough as possible, and is given partly
through text-books and lectures, and partly through the study of cases.
While convinced of the value of the combined text-book and lecture
system, which has prevailed for more than half a century in the Law
School, and from which, in the inauguration of the more extended
course, it is not meant in any wise to depart, the Law Faculty have
long appreciated the value which the study of cases possesses, in illustrating
the practical application of legal principles, and in forcing
the student to extract for himself the doctrine which the cases establish.
The enlargement of the course gives opportunity for more
emphasis upon this form of instruction, and the case-book will, therefore,
be used more extensively than heretofore—not as supplanting,
but as supplementing, the text-book and lecture.

The daily quiz has long been a marked and, as experience has
proved, a most valuable feature of the system of instruction. As
cross-examination exposes error and develops truth, so the daily
quiz enables the instructor to discover and rectify misconceptions of
legal principles on the part of the student.

Required for Graduation.—The degree of Bachelor of Laws
(LL.B.) is conferred upon such students as have attained the age of

twenty-one years; have satisfied the entrance requirements; have attended
three full sessions of the Law School; and have successfully
passed the required examinations, with satisfactory performance of
the work of the Moot and Practice Courts, and of the assigned work.

More specifically, the candidate for graduation must have completed
all of the obligatory courses (see Outline of Courses, below), the
credit value of which is six hundred (600) units, and elective courses
of at least the credit value of two hundred and fifty (250) units—or a
total of eight hundred and fifty (850) units.

Candidates for the degree, who in any session have less than one
full year's course to complete, may be required to take such additional
work, and to stand such additional examinations as shall be prescribed.

OUTLINE OF COURSES.

The entire course of three years embraces 988 units (or lecture
periods of one and a half hours each) and to each subject satisfactorily
completed is attached a credit value of one unit for each lecture period
comprised therein. Of the total units, 600 are classed as obligatory and
the remaining 400 as elective. As stated, graduation requires the completion
of all the obligatory courses (credit value 600), plus elective
courses having a credit value of at least 250 units—or a minimum required
total of 850 units.

This contemplates an average of nine lecture periods (or 13½
hours) per week during the first and second years, and eight periods
(or 12 hours), the third year. The credit value of course number 4
(see table below) is 20 units.

Each session comprises 36 weeks, exclusive of holidays, and is
divided into three terms,—Sept. 15 to Dec. 23—Jan. 3 to March 21—
and March 22 to June 6.

Written examinations are held during the final week of each
term, on the subjects completed during the term.

The following tabular outline indicates the scope of the courses
offered.

TABLE OF COURSES[5]

                                                                                       

FIRST YEAR				SECOND YEAR				THIRD YEAR
First Term—September 15 to December 23—14 Weeks.[6]
	Prof. Lile	Periods Per Week	Total Periods		Prof. Lile	Periods Per Week	Total Periods		Prof. —	Periods Per Week	Total Periods
1.	Study of Cases			14.	Equity Jurisprudence	4	36	[7] 28.	Bankruptcy	2	12
	Legal Bibliography	2	18	15.	Equity Procedure	4	16	[8] 29.	Making and Interpretation of Statutes	2	14
	Brief Making				Prof. Minor
2.	Agency (begun)	2	8	16.	Constitutional Law	3	39		Prof. Minor
	Prof. Graves				Prof. —			[9] 30.	Constitution and Code of Virginia	3	15
3.	Contracts	4	52	17.	Partnership	1	13
	Prof. Paul				Prof. Graves			[10] 31.	Criminal Procedure	3	24
[11] 4.	Public Speaking (begun)	2	26	18.	Common Law Pleading.	2	26		Prof. Dobie
					Prof. Dobie			[12] 32.	Taxation and Tax Titles	3	19
	Prof. Dobie			21.	Federal Procedure (begun)	1	10
5.	Criminal Law	2	26					[13] 33.	Roman Law	3	20
									Prof. —
								34.	Titles and Conveyancing	2	16
								[14] 35.	Mining and Irrigation	2	10
Second Term—January 3 to March 21—11 Weeks.[15]
	Prof. Lile				Prof. Lile				Prof. Lile
2a.	Agency (completed)	2	20	19.	Private Corporations	3	30	[16] 36.	Judicial Sales	1	10
	Prof. Graves				Prof. Minor				Prof. Graves
6.	Torts	4	40	20.	Real Property (including Wills and Mortgages)	3	30	37.	Evidence (begun)	2	20
	Prof. Dobie								Prof. Minor
[17] 7.	Master and Servant	2	14					38.	Conflict of Laws and Jurisdictions	3	30
	Prof. Paul				Prof. Dobie
[18] 4a.	Public Speaking (completed)	2	10	21a.	Fed. Procedure (completed)	2	20		Prof. Dobie
								39.	Probate and Administrat'n	2	20
	Prof. —				Prof. —
8.	Sales	2	20	[19] 22.	Insurance	2	20		Prof. —
								[20] 40.	Damages	2	10
								[21] 41.	Admiralty	2	10
Third Term—March 23 to June 6—11 Weeks.[22]
	Prof. Lile				Prof. Lile				Prof. Lile
9.	Negotiable Paper	2	20	23.	Public Corporations	2	20	[23] 42.	Practice of Law and Preparation of Cases	2	10
	Prof. Minor				Prof. Graves
[24] 10.	International Law	2	20	[25] 24.	Pleading and Practice in Virginia	4	40	[26] 43.	Receiverships	2	10
	Prof. Dobie								Prof. Graves
[27] 11.	Carriers and Bailments	3	30		Prof. Minor			37a.	Evidence (completed)	2	20
				20a.	Real Property (completed)	4	40		Prof. Dobie
	Prof. —							[28] 44.	Public Officers	1	10
[29] 12.	Interest and Usury	3	10		Prof. Dobie				Prof. —
13.	Domestic Relations		20	[30] 26.	Code Pleading	2	20	[31] 45.	Suretyship and Guaranty	2	13
					Prof. Paul
				[32] 27.	Parliamentary Law	1	10	46.	Legal Ethics	2	7

Alteration of Courses and Schedules.—The right is reserved to
make such alterations in the nature or number of courses offered, or in the
schedules of lectures and examinations, as may be deemed necessary
or expedient.

Moot Court.—A Moot Court is organized by the students in the
First Year's course for the discussion of legal questions. Its meetings
begin at the opening and continue to the end of the session, with such
interruptions only as are incident to the proximity of the examinations.
Attendance is voluntary, as presence during the debates is intended to
be a privilege and not a burden. But every candidate for the degree
is required to argue at least one case in the Moot Court, and to hand
in a carefully prepared brief of his argument, with a digest of the
authorities relied on. The questions are chosen by the Law Faculty,
one of whom presides over the discussions. Interest and life are added
to the proceedings by the open debate held after the argument, the
presiding judge acting as interlocutor, and leading into the debate
those whom diffidence prompts to silence.

Practice Court.—The object of the Practice Court is to afford to
the student practical facility in the procedure which he will be called
on to apply at the bar, and to familiarize him with the whole proceedings
in actions at law, and suits in equity.

The Practice Court is presided over by members of the Law Faculty,
and is organized shortly after the beginning of the session. Its
terms are held weekly. Attendance, with punctual performance of all
assigned work is an essential part of the courses in Virginia Pleading
and Practice, and Equity Procedure.

Prize.—A prize for the best thesis on a subject assigned by the
Law Faculty is awarded annually in a competition open to members
of the third year class, who are candidates for graduation. It is donated
by the Edward Thompson Company of Northport, N. Y., and
consists of a set of the second edition of the American and English
Encyclopedia of Law (32 volumes), of the estimated value of $240.

The Edward Thompson Company Prize for the session of 1908-'09
was awarded to Gary W. Alexander, B. S., B. A., LL. B., of Jacksonville,
Fla. Subject: "The Locality of Crime."

Library.—The Law Library is accommodated by its own library
rooms, separate from the general University library. The rooms are
heated by steam and lighted by electricity, and are located with special
reference to the convenience of the law students. A librarian is in
attendance during working hours.

The library contains practically a complete set of the English Reports
to date; the reports of nearly all the States; the United States
Supreme Court Reports; the National Reporter System complete;
modern annotated reports, such as the American Decisions, American
Reports, American State Reports, Law Reports Annotated, English
Ruling Cases, etc.; and modern search-books, in the form of general
digests (including the Century) and Encyclopedias, besides a large
collection of text-books. Law students have all the privileges of the
general University Library, containing more than 60,000 volumes,
without extra charge.

New Law Building.—By the liberality of the Virginia Legislature,
a sufficient appropriation is immediately available for the erection
of a handsome building for the Law School now in course of erection.
It is hoped that by the beginning of the session of 1910-1911, or
shortly thereafter, the building will be ready for occupancy.

SCHEDULE OF LECTURES For Session 1910-11[33]

                         

Hours	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
9:30 to 11
First Term	Contracts	Com. Law Pl.	Contracts	Com. Law Pl.	Contracts Partnership	Contracts
Second Term	Torts	Real Prop.	Torts	Real Prop.	Code Pl.[34]	Real Prop.
Third Term	Va. Pl. & Pr.[35]	Master & S.[36]	Va. Pl. & Pr.[37]	Real Prop.	Va. Pl. & Pr.[38]	Insurance[39]
11 to 12:30
First Term	Const. Law	Study of Cases Agency	Equity Jurisp.	Study of Cases Agency	Equity Jurisp.	Equity Jurisp.
Second Term	Fed Proc.	Sales	Code Pl.[40]	Agency	Torts	Sales
Third Term	Internat. Law[41]	Real Prop.	Neg. Paper	Carriers & B.[42]	Internat. Law[43]	Neg. Paper
12:30 to 2
First Term	Dom. Rel. Int. & Usury[44]	Const. Law Pub. Sp.[45] (I)[46]	Dom. Rel. Int. & Usury[47]	Const. Law Pub. Sp.[48] (I)	Crim. Law	Crim. Law
Second Term	Agency	Equity Proc. Pub. Sp.[49] (I)	Priv. Corp. Pub. Sp.[50] (II)[51]	Fed. Proc. Pub. Sp.[52] (III)[53]	Priv. Corp. Pub. Sp.[54] (II)	Priv. Corp. Pub. Sp.[55] (III)
Third Term	Insurance[56]	Carriers & B.[57] Parl. Law[58]	Real Prop. Pub. Sp.[59] (II)	Pub. Corp. Pub. Sp.[60] (III)	Pub. Corp. Pub. Sp.[61] (II)	Real Prop. Pub. Sp.[62] (III)

SCHEDULE OF EXAMINATIONS.

For Session 1910-11.

Examinations will be held on successive days during the last
week of each term, on all subjects completed during the term, and in
the order indicated below.

                       

	First Term.	Second Term.	Third Term.
1	Contracts	Real Prop. (I)	Negotiable Paper
2	Com. Law Pleading	Sales	Real Prop. (II)
	Criminal Law[63]
3	Study of Cases	Priv. Corp.	Carriers & B.
			Parl. Law[64]
4	Const. Law	Agency	Va. Pl. & Pr.
	Pub. Speak. (I)[65]	Code Pl.[66]	Pub. Speak. (II) & (III)
5	Dom. Rel.	Fed. Proc.	Pub. Corp.
	Partnership[67]		Master & S.[68]
6	Eq. Jurisp.	Torts	Insurance.
	Int. & Usury[69]	Equity Proc.[70]	Internat. Law.[71]

Fall Examinations.—The privilege of standing Fall examinations
heretofore granted to candidates for graduation who had fallen slightly
below the required standard, has been withdrawn.

Re-examinations.—Students who have attended the full three
years' course of lectures, but have failed on one or more examinations,
have the privilege of returning the following session and standing the
regular examinations on the subjects in which they are deficient.
For the exercise of the privilege there is a charge of five dollars for
each examination taken.