Legal Systems of the World: A Political,Social,and Cultural Encyclopedia

ANNOTATION

"Written by an international team of more than 350 legal scholars, the more than 400 signed entries cover legal systems of countries from around the world, Australia, and the provinces of Canada; transnational systems (International Court of Justice); general systems (Islamlic law, indigenous, and folk legal systems); and key concepts. Each country profile includes a map with an inset of its location on the globe, general information about the country, its history, diagrams of its court structure, the evolution of its legal framework, its current structure, staffing or how judges are appointed, any specialized judicial bodies (i.e. military court), and the impact that the legal system has had on the country. Articles conclude with references and a bibliography. Academic and public libraries will find this source invaluable for comparative studies in legal and judicial systems."--"The Best of the Best Reference Sources," American Libraries, May 2003.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Legal Systems of the World is the only comprehensive reference work that covers the legal systems of every nation on earth, every state in the Union, and every province of Canada.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

This impressive encyclopedia of international jurisprudence is truly global in scope and coverage. Kritzer (political science and law, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison) has assembled a notable team of scholars and experts from around the world who have contributed nearly 400 separate entries to the four-volume set. Every country on earth, every state in the United States, and every province in Canada is covered, as are legal principles and concepts that have historically been observed as common to all. International judicial bodies and political organizations that are quasilegal in nature also appear. Each country segment follows a specific pattern and is therefore useful for comparative study. Such a typical entry includes general information about the country, its history, and an explanation of its political structure, followed by a detailed anatomy of its judicial system and underlying legal concepts. How a country's courts are organized, how its judges are appointed and approved, and the manner in which the judicial system is divided and administered receive considerable attention from each contributor. Each country essay concludes with an analysis and evaluation by the contributor of the comparative status of the nature, level, and extent of the autonomy and legitimacy of judicial institutions within the respective nation. Each country profile is accompanied by helpful maps, charts, and a bibliography. Quasijudicial practices such as arbitration and supranational bodies such as the International Criminal Court in The Hague are thoroughly explicated, complete with an assessment of their impact as evolving and maturing legal institutions. This book is syntactically and stylistically appealing to a broad range of readers (it is even being touted on Wal-Mart's web site, at a ten percent discount, no less) and is recommended for public and academic libraries. Philip Y. Blue, New York State Supreme Court Criminal Branch Law Lib., New York Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

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