The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-09-11

at times it's great volume has caused
alarm. Lord Coke lamented In the
seventeenth century, that legal lit
erature had grown so large. In the
preface to one of his reports, he emu
merated the volumes II embraced and
then exclaimed: Thus, you have fif-
teen books of treatises and as many
volumes Of reportsr' Although Lord
Coke felt swamped by the thirty vol.
umes of law books then extant. his
disciples Of this day must confront
thirty thousand and more. The great
bulk Of legal literature il still in
creasing. In the United States alone.
900 opinions containing 100000
words are produced each year by APP
pellate courts.
Important Cases Linked.
Our legal literature, however, Is not
90 appalling as a mere statement Of
its bulk might indicate. Obviously, no
man can hope to even read all the
adjudicated cases in English law. But
this IL not necessary, since a compre-
hensive understanding Of English law
may be derived from the study Of a
comparatively few cases. These cases
do not stand isolated one from the
other. Great principles thread them
together. As iron filings line up un-
der the influence Of a magnet. 30 these
myriad Of cases cling along and de-
lineate the general principles which
produce them.
A large part Of law students work
Is to study typical cases and In them
to observe and delimit the general
principle. The variety Of cases Is. of
course. as great as the realm Of hui
| man relations. The main principle Is
usually obscured by irrelevant details.
and frequently It is not expressed. The
study of these cases, therefore. Is
excellent discipline In developing
power Of comprehension and in teach.
ing one to discriminate between the
essential and the non-essential. This
mental habit Ia valuable to anyone.
| and essential to the lawyer.
A common error on the part of be-
ginning law students IL to read too
much and study too little. The read
| ign of many cases without taking time
to- grasp their significance soon
causes mental indigestion. Each case
needs to be studied in Its relation to
others. The modern law teacher with
his students in the class room ana
lyzes each case. Student and teacher
together, disclose the principles those
cases embody. The course Of later
decisions modifying that principle is
traced.
Teaching Methods Changed.
The law schools of today are play
ing a much more important part in
legal education than they did fifty
years ago. The old law school was
looked upon and operated merely as
q method of imparting information.
1t is now realized that that was but a
small service. However eminent its
lectures, the majority Of them impart-
ed but little information which could
not be found more clearly stated in
print. Particularly useless were the
definitions, maxims and high sound
ing phrases drilled into students only
to be repeated back by rote, unassim-
Hated. The chief aims of the modern
law school is to develop the students
legal understanding and to throw into
bold relief the fundamental principles
that run through the law.
| A student lays the foundation for
his professional career in the law
school and cannot do that work too
thoroughly. II he neglects to assim-
ilate the great principles of law. he
| will always labor under a handicap.
No inspiration or herculsan effort
will enable the mediocre. half pre-
pared lawyer to arise to the emergency
Of being fitted against a thorough and
capable lawyer in a difficult case.
While there is an insistent demand for
able, well-trained lawyers, the pro-
fession has but little to offer one who
is not able to arise above mediocrity.