Foundations of Legal Liability, Volume 1 presents a clear, historical view of how tort law developed in the common law system.
This edition surveys core ideas, from the earliest injuries to modern doctrines, and explains how courts shape legal duty and liability over time.
Two introductory sections outline the book’s goal: to trace the evolution of torts like negligence, deceit, and interference with trade, using a wealth of concrete case material. The author argues that new legal ideas grow from established principles, mutating as circumstances demand, and that judges apply old rules to new facts to reveal fresh truths.
- Learn how five primary torts—Trespass, Nuisance, Conversion, Defamation, and Deceit—serve as the roots from which other duties and wrongs arise.
- Understand how the law develops concepts such as negligence and remedies through historical reasoning, doctrinal refinement, and practical examples.
- Discover how the court system recognizes responsibility for acts that harm others, including the roles of agents, bailees, and purchasers in liability.
- See how damages are treated, including recoverable amounts and the guiding ideas behind compensation in civil wrongs.
Ideal for readers seeking a thorough, historically grounded view of civil liability, this edition suits students, scholars, and practitioners who want a foundational map of tort law and its ongoing growth.