本书主要介绍学习英美法的方法，包括如何阅读英语法判例以及如何撰写英文法律文件。部分介绍英美法律制度的基础知识，第二部分介绍判例法的遵循先例原则及其适用，第三部分详细介绍判例阅读与分析路径，以及撰写案情精要的方法，第四部分有关法律文件的撰写要点几个事。本书特点之一是配有大量的判例和写作范例，以及写作材料，可供读者练习，实用性较强。二是采用原版判例，语言准确，并辅以适当的中文解释，减轻初学者的学习难度。三是本书的内容，对于英美法的任何学科都是敲门砖，因为本书的主题是学习方法，而不是只针对某一法律领域。四是本书适应的读者群比较广泛，既可以用作法科学生学习英美法或比较法全英文课程的教材，也可以用于法律英语课程的教学，还可以为其他对英美法感兴趣的读者提供全面的英美法的知识。对于计划到英美法系国家攻读法学位的读者而言，本书是一个很好的预备，而对于没有计划出国学习的读者而言，本书是可以据此一窥全豹的工具。

 

PART I INTRODUCTION TO COMMON LAW SYSTEM
Chapter 1 COMMON LAW
1.1 Law
1.2 Common Law
1.3 Law versus Equity
1.4 Statutory Law versus Case Law
1.5 Summary
Review Questions
Chapter 2 COMMON LAW COURT SYSTEM
2.1 The English Court System
2.1.1 Magistrates' Courts -- For Both Civil and Criminal Cases
2.1.2 County Courts -- For Civil Cases Only
2.1.3 Crown Court -- For Criminal Cases Only
2.1.4 High Court -- For Both Civil and Criminal Cases
2.1.5 Court of Appeal -- For Both Civil and Criminal Cases
2.1.6 Final Court of Appeals
2.1.7 European Court of Justice
2.2 The American Court System
2.2.1 The Federal Courts
2.2.2 State Courts
Review Questions
Chapter 3 SOURCES OF LAW
3.1 Sources of Law in England
3.1.1 The European Union Law
3.1.2 Statutory law
3.1.3 CaseLaw
3.2 Sources of Law in the United States
3.2.1 Constitutions
3.2.2 Statutes
3.2.3 Administrative Regulations
3.2.4 CaseLaw
Review Ouestions
Chapter 4 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
4.1 Commencement of the Proceeding -- Pretrial
4.1.1 Filing with the Court: Complaint
4.1.2 Service of Process
4.1.3 The Response. Motion, Answer, and Reply
4.1.4 Discovery
4.2 Trial Date and Jury Selection
4.2.1 Trial Date Assignment
4.2.2 Jury Selection
4.2.3 Preliminary Instructions of Law
4.3 Trial
4.3.1 Opening Statements
4.3.2 Plaintiff's Case in Chief
4.3.3 Defendant's Case in Chief
4.3.4 Closing Arguments
4.3.5 Jury Instructions
4.3.6 Verdict
4.3.7 Motions
4.3.8 Judgment
4.4 Appeal
4.5 Summary
Review Questions
PART II CASE LAW
Chapter 5 DOCTRINE OF STARE DECISIS
5.1 Rule of Precedent
5.2 Doctrine of Stare Decisis
5.3 The Function of Stare Decisis
5.4 Courts Affected by Stare Decisis
5.4.1 The Courts in England
5.4.2 The Courts in the United States
5.5 Components of a Judi Decision
5.6 Types of Judi Decisions
5.6.1 Majority Opinion
5.6.2 Dissenting Opinion
5.6.3 Concurring Opinion
5.7 Different Ways to Use Precedents
5.7.1 Following Prior Precedents
5.7.2 Distinguishing Prior Precedents
5.7.3 Overruling Prior Precedents
Review Questions
Chapter 6 COMMON LAW REASONING
6.1 Typical Types of Common Law Reasoning
6.1.1 Deductive and Inductive Reasoning
6.1.2 Analogy and Distinction
6.1.3 Arguments in Common Law Reasoning
6.2 Techniques and Arguments Used with Case Authorities
6.2.1 Favorable Authorities
6.2.2 Adverse Authorities
6.3 Illustration of the Common Law Reasoning
6.3.1 Fletcher v. Rylands -- The Establishment of the Rule
6.3.2 Rylands v. Fletcher Modification of the Rule
6.3.3 Rickards v. Lothian -- Exceptions to the Rule
6.3.4 Read v. Lyons -- Interpretation and Application of the Rule
6.3.5 Turner v. Big Lake Oil Co. The Impact of the Rule on the U.S. Courts
6.3.6 Foster v. Preston Mill Co. A Later Case Decided By a U. S. Court
6.3.7 Siegler v. Kuhlman -- Adoption of the Rylands Rule
6.3.8 Clay v. Missouri Highway & Transportation Commission -- New Development
Review Questions
Chapter 7 CASE REPORTING SYSTEMS
7.1 Law Reports in England
7.1.1 Law Reports
7.1.2 Format of a Case in the Law Reports
7.2 Case Reporters in the United States
7.2.1 Case Reporters
7.2.2 Case Digests
7.2.3 Format of a Case in the Case Reporters
7.3 Case Names and Citations
7.3.1 Case Names
7.3.2 Case Citations
Review Questions
PART III CASE ANALYSIS
Chapter 8 CASE ANALYSIS
8.1 Basic Structure of a Judi Opinion
8.1.1 Different Types of Opinions
8.1.2 Common Actions of a Court
8.1.3 Essential Elements of an Opinion
8.2 Procedural History
8.3 Statement of Facts
8.4 Issue
8.5 Holding
8.6 Reasons and Policies
8.7 Judgment
8.8 Summary
8.9 Case Brief Exercises
8.9.1 Exercise 1. Katko v. Briney
8.9.2 Exercise 2. Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad Co.
8.9.3 Exercise 3. Barnes v. Treece
8.10 Summary
Review Questions
PART IV LEGAL DOCUMENT DRAFTING
Chapter 9 Memoranda Drafting
9.1 Common Law Analyses
9.2 Principles of Drafting
9.3 Writing Techniques
9.4 Elements of a Memorandum
9.5 Heading
9.6 Questions Presented
9.7 Brief Answers
9.8 Statement of Facts
9.9 Discussion
9.10 Conclusion
9.11 Summary
9.12 Drafting Exercise
Review Questions
REFERENCES