Greatman's Library: Law Collection

The Greatman’s Library Law Collection is a comprehensive resource covering the full scope of legal thought, systems, and practice across history and cultures. It examines ancient, medieval, early modern, and contemporary legal traditions, including the evolution of common law, civil law, religious law, and international law. Alongside historical studies, the collection provides in-depth coverage of current legal systems and legislation in major jurisdictions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and other global regions — enabling readers to engage with both foundational principles and the living law of today.

Inside you’ll find material on jurisprudence, legislation, adjudication, constitutional frameworks, rights, contracts, property, and criminal justice. The collection explores the history of major legal codes, landmark trials, and transformative doctrines, as well as the legal systems of different civilisations — from Hammurabi’s code to Roman law, from medieval canon law to modern human rights regimes. It includes studies of legal institutions and procedures, courts and tribunals, legal professions, codifications, and the impact of political, social, and economic change on the law.

Beyond doctrine itself, the Law Collection addresses philosophy, ethics, enforcement, legal reform, and the relationship between law and state power. Both historical and modern contexts are covered, allowing readers to compare enduring principles with today’s rapidly evolving legal landscape.

Whether you are new to the study of law or seeking to deepen an existing knowledge base, this collection offers a structured yet wide-ranging foundation in the theory and practice of law.

What’s Covered in The Greatman’s Library: Law Collection

Types & Eras of Law

• Ancient law — Mesopotamian codes, Egyptian law, Hebrew law
• Classical law — Roman jurisprudence, Greek legal thought
• Medieval law — feudal law, canon law, customary law
• Early modern law — codifications, absolutist legal systems, mercantile law
• Modern law — constitutional frameworks, civil rights, administrative law
• Religious law — Islamic sharia, Jewish halakha, Hindu dharmaśāstra, Christian canon law
• Common law tradition — precedent, case law, judicial authority
• Civil law tradition — codified statutes, Napoleonic influence
• Socialist and Marxist law — collectivist principles, planned economies
• International law — treaties, conventions, humanitarian law, global institutions

Jurisprudence & Legal Philosophy

• Natural law vs. legal positivism
• Theories of justice (Plato, Aristotle, Rawls)
• Rights-based vs. utilitarian approaches
• Legal realism and critical legal studies
• Feminist legal theory and postcolonial critiques
• Law and morality — intersections and conflicts
• Sovereignty, legitimacy, and the rule of law
• Human rights philosophy and universalism vs. relativism

Legal Systems & Institutions

• Ancient courts and assemblies (Areopagus, Roman praetor courts)
• Medieval legal institutions (manorial courts, ecclesiastical courts, inquisitions)
• Modern judiciary structures — supreme courts, appellate courts, constitutional courts
• Legislative bodies — parliaments, congresses, estates-general
• Legal professions — advocates, barristers, solicitors, notaries, judges
• Codification movements — Justinian’s Corpus Juris Civilis, Napoleonic Code, German Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch
• Administrative law and regulatory agencies
• Arbitration and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms

Areas of Law

• Criminal law — crimes, punishments, due process
• Civil law — contracts, torts, property, obligations
• Constitutional law — state structure, separation of powers, rights protection
• International law — diplomacy, war, trade, human rights, environmental law
• Commercial law — corporations, trade law, bankruptcy, intellectual property
• Family law — marriage, inheritance, guardianship, adoption
• Labour law — employment rights, trade unions, workplace regulation
• Environmental law — conservation, pollution control, climate regulation
• Cyber law — digital rights, data protection, online regulation

Legal History & Cultures

• Mesopotamian & Near Eastern law
  • Code of Hammurabi, Hittite laws, Hebrew Torah law
• Roman law
  • Twelve Tables, praetorian edicts, Justinianic codification
• Greek law
  • Solonian reforms, Athenian courts, democratic procedures
• Islamic law
  • Qur’anic principles, fiqh schools, Ottoman legal reforms
• European medieval law
  • Feudal law, canon law, Magna Carta, Holy Roman Empire legal culture
• Asian traditions
  • Chinese imperial codes, Confucian legal thought, Indian Dharmaśāstras
• Colonial & imperial legal orders
  • European colonial law, indigenous adaptations, postcolonial transitions
• Modern legal cultures
  • Anglo-American common law (US, UK, Canada, Australia)
  • Continental civil law systems (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Latin America)
  • EU law and supranational institutions
  • Socialist legal traditions in the USSR and beyond
  • Hybrid systems in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East
  • Contemporary national systems — American constitutional law, British parliamentary sovereignty, EU directives and regulations, Chinese legal reforms, comparative global jurisdictions

Legal Practice & Procedure

• Courtroom procedure — trials, appeals, evidence
• Methods of punishment — corporal, capital, rehabilitative approaches
• Policing and enforcement systems
• Role of juries and lay participation
• Investigation, proof, and forensic practices
• Legislative drafting and statutory interpretation
• Precedent, analogy, and judicial reasoning
• Alternative dispute resolution — arbitration, mediation, conciliation
• Codification vs. case-by-case adjudication

Politics, Society & Law

• Law as an instrument of state power
• The social contract and legitimacy
• Legal reform movements and revolutions
• Civil rights struggles and emancipation
• Censorship, free speech, and press law
• Law and economic development
• Law in times of crisis — emergency powers, martial law, wartime tribunals
• International organisations — UN, ICC, WTO, ICJ
• Globalisation and transnational legal integration
• Law and technology — AI, biotechnology, digital governance