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FIRST YEAR'S COURSE.
1. Law of Persons; Personal Property; Wills, Probate and Administration.
Professor Lile.
The preliminary lectures in this class are devoted to the nature, sources and
evidences of the law; the absolute and relative rights, 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 thereof, and the equitable separate estate; 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, probate
and administration. Under the latter classification are included the execution
and construction 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 15 to February 25—Three times a
week.
Text-Books.—1 Minor's Institutes (4th edition).
Burks' Property Rights of Married Women.
The Professor's Printed Notes.
(Others to be announced).
2. Law of Contracts; Torts; Bailments and Carriers.
Professor Dabney.
In this class the student is taught the principles underlying the formation,
validity, interpretation, and discharge of contracts generally, whatever may be
their particular subject matter; the principles of the law of torts, and their application
to the subjects of negligence, nuisance, trespass to person and property,
fraud and deceit, defamation, and other cases of practical importance; the principles
of the law of carriers of persons and property, whether by land or by water,
and whether by incorporated companies or individuals, including the transmission
of messages by telegraph, and showing in detail the modern application of the
September 15 to June 1—Twice a week.
Text-Books.—Clark on Contracts.
Bigelow on Torts.
Lawson on Bailments.
3. International Law.
Professor Minor.
Under this title are included both public and private international law. In the
study of Public International Law, are investigated the various rules which regulate
the intercourse of nations; 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 rights and duties of belligerents;
and, finally, the rules governing the relations of neutral and belligerent
states.
Private International Law, or the Conflict of Laws, occupies the latter part of
this course. As the facility increases with which commerce and intercourse
between the states is conducted, this subject becomes of graver importance, though
as yet it has received rather scanty recognition at the hands of text-writers and
law schools.
The course includes a discussion of the nature and various kinds of domicil;
the law governing status, and the conveyance of personal property abroad; the
execution, construction and effect of foreign wills, successions and administrations,
of foreign marriages and divorces, and of transactions relating to real estate; the
execution, interpretation and validity of foreign contracts; the law governing the
effect of foreign judgments in rem or in personam, and the recovery of damages on
foreign torts; the application of the lex fori, and the modes of proving foreign
laws.—September 15 to December 23—Twice a week.
Text-Books.—Public International Law: Glenn.
Private International Law: (To be announced.)
The Professor's Notes.
4. Mercantile Law.
Professor Lile.
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 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 25 to May 15—Three times a week.
Text-Books.—Bigelow on Bills and Notes (Student's Series).
Richards on Insurance.
Mechem on Partnership.
The Professor's Notes.
5. Constitutional Law.
Professor Minor.
This is designed to be a continuation of the class in International Law, dealing
as it does with a cognate subject; but in order to enter it, attendance upon lectures
in the former course is not essential. The two classes are distinct, and may be
completed separately. More attention is given in this course than has been customary
heretofore, to the judicial interpretation of the Federal Constitution, and
to the great constitutional principles prevailing throughout the Union; it being
considered that familiarity with the constitutional limitations on the powers of
Federal, State and municipal legislatures is more advantageous to the practising
lawyer than an acquaintance with the abstract theory of government. Nevertheless
the latter subject is not neglected. The course opens with a series of lectures
upon the Theory and Practice of Government. It is traced from its generally
accepted origin in the family, through its various stages, to the modern forms, and
effort is made by reasoning and comparison to show the benefits of good government,
the dangers of the bad. As occasion requires, attention is also 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 duly noted, and that wherein it is weak alluded
to as well as that wherein it is strong. The Federal Constitution is taken up and
discussed line by line and section by section, particularly noting the historical
origin of the more important provisions, with a close study of such subjects as ex
post facto laws, laws impairing the obligation of contracts, trial by jury, due process
of law, power of taxation, condemnation proceedings under the power of
eminent domain, the police power, interstate commerce, etc.—January 1 to April
25—Twice a week.
Text-Book.—Black's Constitutional Law.
The Professor's Notes.
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