Canadian Cases in the Philosophy of Law

by Jerome E. Bickenbach (Editor)

This is a collection of Canadian legal decisions, mostly from the highest court of the land, that raise and respond to central issues in political and legal philosophy and social ethics. All the issues raised by these cases are current and controversial. They the scope of judicial review and legitimate powers of the courts; separation of powers; the nature and scope of rights of speech, association, Aboriginal rights, and legal protections in criminal prosecution; equality and its pursuit in a free and democratic society; autonomy and its protection; the nature of legal responsibility in criminal and tort law; and legitimate punishment. This edition takes into account the many changes that have occurred in our court's interpretation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Twelve new cases have been added, as has a new section on “Group Self-Determination” that takes into account important changes in Aboriginal rights. Many of the cases from the previous edition have been re-edited and slightly expanded, with “follow up” cases included to reflect how they are now interpreted.

330 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1992

Reviews

[Daniel Silveyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're interested in law or how court decisions on landmark cases are made, it's a great read. Otherwise, it's a little dry and you may get a better overview of the judicial process on interesting cases elsewhere.

Selection of court rulings on important Canadian cases regarding human rights, constitutional law, civil liberties, discrimination, etc. Each case is given a succinct summary and then it's straight onto excerpted rulings from the justices.