The History of Michigan Law

ISBN: 0821416618

Title: The History of Michigan Law

Author: edited by Paul Finkelman & Martin J. Hershock

KDL Description:

This collection of essays by members of the legal community and academia traces the evolution of Michigan law, exploring the state’s leadership in developing civil rights law, the impact of industrialization, and the history of labor law. In addition to analyzing Michigan law, the highly readable and engaging book serves as an introduction to the history of Michigan politics.

Amazon Description:

The History of Michigan Law offers the first serious survey of Michigan’s rich legal past. Michigan was among the first states to admit African-Americans and women to its law schools and was the first governmental entity to abolish the death penalty. Additionally, the state, unlike its midwestern neighbors, did not enact racial exclusion laws in the post-Civil War era. Michigan has also played a leading role in developing modern rape laws, in protecting the environment, and in assuring the right to counsel for those accused of crimes.

The story of Michigan’s legal development includes high profile cases such as the Dr. Ossian Sweet murder trial, the cross-district busing case Milliken v. Bradley, and the affirmative action cases brought against the University of Michigan Law School. The History of Michigan Law documents and analyzes, as well, Michigan legal develpments in environmental history, civil rights, and women’s history.

This book will serve as the entry point for all future studies that involve the law in Michigan. With 2005 marking the bicentennial of the establishment of the Michigan Supreme Court, as well as the bicentennial of the creation of the Michigan Territory, The History of Michigan Law has appeal beyond the legal community to scholars and students of American history.