University of Virginia Library

VIII. LAW.

Professor Davis—This school is arranged into two classes. The
subjects studied by the Junior class are the Law of Nature and Nations,
the Science of Government, Constitutional Law, and the elementary principles
of Municipal Law. The text books used by this class, are Vattel's
Law of Nations, the Federalist, the Virginia Report of '99, Blackstone's
Commentaries, and a Treatise on Criminal Law by the Professor; in addition
to which, lectures are delivered on Government, and 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, Equity and Maritime and Commercial Law. And the text books
used by this class, are Coke upon Littleton, (Thomas's edition,) Stephen
on Pleading, Starkie on Evidence, (the first vol.,) Matthews on Executors,
— on Contracts, Smith's Mercantile Law, Story's Equity, and Mitford's
Pleadings.

The design of this arrangement is 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 exclusively
occupied with the study of the theory and practice of Law, as a
profession.

Students can 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, which
portion, those wishing to study Municipal Law only, can, if they choose,
omit.

On the text books of both classes, prelections are delivered by the Professor,
in which it is his object to supply what is deficient, and explain
what is obscure in the text, and to offer such comments as he deems necessary
to the thorough understanding of the subject under consideration. In
the prelections on Municipal Law, he refers to the leading cases and authorities,
American and English, illustrative of the topic treated by the
author, and particularly explains, in its appropriate connection, the Statute
Law of Virginia and the United States, and its effects on the pre-existing
law. Each prelection is preceded by an examination on the last, together
with its text. On the lectures delivered, the class are also examined.

To assist them in their regular studies, and to accustom them to legal
investigations and forensic discussions, the students of this school have instituted
a Law Society, at the meetings of which the Professor presides.—
In it, questions connected with the studies of the school are discussed, fictitious
cases litigated in the form of regular pleadings, and the issue produced
decided in the appropriate mode, and the members exercised in conveyancing,
&c.

The students of Law, in common with the students of the other schools,
have the use of the extensive Library of the institution; the Law department
of which is large and valuable.