University of Virginia Library

PROFESSOR MINOR.

This school is arranged into two classes, Junior and Senior.

The Junior Class studies the Law of Nature and Nations, the
Science of Government, Constitutional Law, and the elementary
principles of Municipal Law.

The text-books used by it are Vattel's Law of Nations, the
Federalist, Madison's Report of 1799, and Blackstone's Commentaries;
in addition to which lectures are delivered on Government,
and on various topics of National and Constitutional Law,
not discussed in the text-books.

The subjects studied by the Senior Class are the Common and
Statute Law, the Principles of Equity, and Maritime and Commercial
Law.

The text-books in this class are Coke upon Littleton (Thomas'
edition), Stephen on Pleading, Greenleaf on Evidence, Chitty on

Contracts, Smith's Mercantile Law, Matthews on Executors,
Fonblanque's Equity, and Mitford's Equity Pleading.

The student, for purposes of reference, should also be provided
with Gordon's Digest of Laws of U. States, and Tate's Digest of
the Laws of Virginia.

The design of this arrangement of the school into two classes,
is, in part, to embrace in the Junior Course those studies which
not only form an essential part of a liberal professional education,
but which, from their universal interest and importance, constitute
a highly useful branch of general education, whilst the Senior
Course is occupied exclusively with the study of the theory and
practice of Law, as a profession.

Students may attend either or both the classes, and those not
wishing to study Municipal Law at all, can enter for that portion
of the Junior Course which includes National Law, Government,
and Constitutional Law. Those who desire to graduate are required
to attend both classes.

Comments are delivered by the Professor on the text-books of
both classes, the purpose of which is to supply what is deficient,
and explain what is obscure in the text, and to induce a thorough
practical comprehension of the subject under consideration. In
his observations on Municipal Law, the Professor refers to the
leading cases and authorities, American and English, which tend
to illustrate the topic in hand, and particularly explains, in its
appropriate connexion, the Statute Law of Virginia, and of the
United States, and its effect on the pre-existing law. Each daily
lecture is preceded by an examination on that of the preceding
day, together with its text.

A moot-court is instituted in connexion with the school, upon
a plan conforming minutely to the organization of the courts of
the country, the exercises of which are directed, under the immediate
superintendence of the Professor, with a view to familiarize
the student with the practical details of his profession. His
opinion is required upon supposed cases; he is called upon to
devise and to institute remedies, by suit or otherwise, to conduct
suits at law, and in chancery, from their inception, through all
their stages, to draw wills, conveyances, and assurances; and, in
short, to discharge most of the functions devolving upon a practitioner
of the law.

Graduates in the School of Law have the title of Bachelor of
Laws, and, by recent Act of the Legislature, the diploma is equivalent
to a license from the Judges.