Course module for First Grade students at Faculty of Law - Ain Shams University

1. An Introduction
to
Anglo-American Law
First Grade
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2. Third Lecture
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3. Sources of English Law …..
English Law refers to the Common
Law family (case law – legal
precedent law – judge made law)
Mainly, English law sources are
statutory law, equity law and legal
precedents (local custom or
common law)
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4. Sources of English Law …..
stare decisis principle: old
judgments govern future cases
with the same facts
Lower courts are binding by the
high courts judgments
Binding and persuasive
(supported) legal precedents
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5. History of the Common Law….
Common law modified in two ways:
1. Equity law: Kings courts used as a tool
to revise common law courts by granting
different relief, ex. Specific performance
injunction, rescission (cancelation) and
rectification (amending)
2. Statutory law: a written law enacted by
the legislative authority for certain topics
In case of conflict, statutory law prevail
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6. English Judicial System …..
Unified court system
Two important principles:
1. Independence of Judge: judges
appointed for a life – no judicial
review for parliament laws
2. Rule of Law: no one above the
law – no crime or punishment
except by a rule of law
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7. House of Lords
(Supreme Court of United
Kingdom)
Court of Appeal Court of Appeal
(civil) (criminal)
High Court
(Queen’s Bench- Crown Court
Chancery-Family)
Country Magistrates
Court Court
7

8. http://loc.gov/law/help/uk.php
8

9. Useful websites …..
http://www.law.duke.edu/lib/re
searchguides/english
http://www.inbrief.co.uk/legal-
system/english-law.htm
http://loc.gov/law/help/uk.php
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10. Studying …..
Reading chapter 2 completely
Please read, check, and keep in
mind the following questions p.
46-49
2,3,4,5,6,9,14,18,19,20,26,38,
42,43 and 44
For next lecture, read chapter 3
p.59-64
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11. Activities …..
Groups no. 4,5 and 6 will make
a presentation for next lecture
(Chapter3)
All groups’ members meet in
my office, Monday
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