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 | The University of Virginia record February, 1908 |  |
FIRST YEAR COURSE.
1. Law of Persons; Personal Property; Wills and
Administration.
Professor Lile.
Adj. Prof. Dobie (1907-'08).
The preliminary lectures in this class are devoted to the nature,
sources and evidences of the law; the absolute and relative rights of persons,
and their constitutional guaranties; citizenship and naturalization;
and subordinate magistrates. This is followed by a thorough drill in the
subjects of principal and agent; husband and wife, including their common
law property rights, with the modern statutory modifications; parent and
child; and guardian and ward. Later, the study of the law of personal
property (including the law of sales) is pursued in its various phases,
followed by that of wills, of personalty and administration. Under the
latter classification are included the execution of wills; the qualification of
personal representatives and the settlement of their accounts; the law of
legacies and of distribution; and the complete administration of estates.—
September 14 to February 27—Three times a week.
Text-Books.—Long's Domestic Relations; Mechem's Principles of Agency; Rood
on Wills; R. M. Benjamin's Principles of Sales (2d ed.); The Professor's Printed
Notes.
2. The Law of Contracts.
Professor Graves.
In this class, coming appropriately at the beginning of the Junior year,
an effort is made to give a thorough, though elementary, course in the
fundamentals of contract law—the formation, operation, and discharge of
contracts—with a full discussion of the doctrine of consideration, the requirements
of the Statute of Frauds, and the consequences of the various
kinds of illegality, whether at common law or by statute. The important
subject of Quasi-Contract also receives adequate attention. The textbook
on Contracts (Clark, following the analysis of Anson) is accompanied
by a volume of Illustrative Cases, and is supplemented by the Professor's
Printed Notes, explaining obscurities in the text, and calling attention to
the recent cases in Virginia and elsewhere.—September 14 to December 23
—Three times a week.
Text-Books.—Clark on Contracts (2d ed.); Hopkins's Cases on Contracts; The
Professor's Printed Notes.
3. The Law of Crimes and Criminal Procedure.
Professor Minor.
In the study of this subject the student is made familiar with the
general principles enforced by the courts in the administration of criminal
justice. He is instructed as to the nature and elements of the more important
crimes, both common law and statutory. Attention is given rather
to the acquisition of a thorough knowledge of the leading principles than
to the less important details, which, with a knowledge of the former, may
readily be acquired. The course of instruction further embraces a study
of the forms of procedure, the nature, organization and duties of the
courts, and of grand and petit juries; arrests and bail; indictments, presentments,
informations, and the various defenses, by way of demurrer,
plea, or otherwise; together with the ordinary incidents of a criminal trial,
such as challenges of jurors, motions for a new trial, bills of exceptions,
motions in arrest of judgment, and writs of error.
The last lectures of this course are devoted to the practical work of
drawing indictments, pleas in abatement and other criminal pleading, and
the making of motions for new trial, in arrest of judgment, etc.—September
14 to January 20—Three times a week.
Text-Books.—Clark's Criminal Law; Beale's Criminal Pleading and Practice;
The Professor's Notes.
4. Mercantile Law.
Professor Lile.
Adj. Prof. Dobie (1907-'08).
Under this head are grouped the subjects of Negotiable Instruments,
Insurance, and Partnership. The instruction is made as practical as
possible, by frequent use of the various mercantile instruments, as exhibits,
in the course of the lectures. In the study of the law of negotiable paper,
constant reference is made to the Negotiable Instruments Law, recently
enacted in many States, including Virginia, and likely to be adopted
throughout the country. In addition to the study of the general principles
of the law of insurance, attention is devoted to particular clauses most
usual in life, marine, and accident policies, and the New York Standard
fire policy is studied, clause by clause, in the light of judicial construction.—February
27 to end of session—Three times a week.
Text-Books.—Bigelow on Bills, Notes, and Cheques (Student's Series—2d ed.);
Vance on Insurance; Mechem on Partnership; The Negotiable Instruments Law;
The Professor's Notes.
5. Torts, Bailments, and Carriers.
Professor Graves.
The Law of Torts (or Non-Contract Law) is first taken up, and after
a full discussion of the General Principles underlying the subject, the
given to Personal Injuries by Negligence, Employers' Liability Acts (State
and Federal), and statutes concerning Death by Wrongful Act, Neglect,
or Default. In connection with the text-book, a volume of cases is used,
which serve to illustrate and impress the abstract principles by concrete
examples.
On the completion of Torts, the subject of bailments is entered upon,
and after an outline of the doctrines concerning the several kinds of
Bailees (including Innkeepers), the Law of Carriers (of goods and passengers)
is begun, and is considered with the fulness and thoroughness
due to this important topic. The recent legislation of Congress as to
carriers engaged in Inter-State Commerce is carefully considered.— From
January 3 to end of the session—Three times a week.
Text-Books.—Cooley on Torts (Lewis's Students' Ed., 1907); Chase's Cases on
Torts (ad ed.); Hutchinson on Carriers (2d ed.); The Professor's Notes.
6. Theory of Government; Constitutional Law;
International Law.
Professor Minor.
The first lectures of this course are devoted to the Theory and Practice
of Government. It is traced from its generally accepted origin—the
family—through its various stages to the modern forms, and effort is
made by reasoning and comparison to point out the benefits of good
government, the dangers of the bad.
This is followed by Constitutional Law, in the study of which close
attention is given to the judicial interpretation of the Federal Constitution,
and to the great constitutional principles prevailing throughout the
Union. As occasion demands, attention is called to the policy of various
acts of legislation, and the student is warned against such as tend to exceed
the limits of safe and constitutional restrictions. The checks and balances
of the constitution are pointed out, and by comparing it with other constitutions,
notably that of England, its weak as well as strong points are
developed. Especial attention is given to such important subjects as ex
post facto laws, laws impairing the obligation of contracts, due process of
law, trial by jury, the power of taxation and of eminent domain, the police
power, interstate commerce, etc.
In the lectures upon Public International Law are considered the
various rules which regulate the intercourse of one nation with another—
such as the principles governing the origin, recognition, and equality of
States; their rights in time of peace, and the means whereby they peaceably
procure the enjoyment of those rights; the laws of war, and the
neutral and belligerent States.—January 20 to May 7—Three times a week.
Text-Books.—Cooley's Principles of Constitutional Law (3d ed.); Davis' International
Law (2d ed.); The Professor's Notes.
| The University of Virginia record February, 1908 | |