LAW 7786 - Jurisprudence

The course is a survey of various theories, both historical and contemporary, as to what guides and constrains legal interpretation. Is legal interpretation simply a matter of following a text? Do moral considerations play a legitimate part in that process? Is "legislative intent" a proper guide for applying statutes, and how does one discover that "intent"? Is legal interpretation an objective science or a subjective art? The course will cover, among other things, the theories of natural law, legal positivism, realism, critical legal studies, law and economics, and legal process theorists. Grade will be based on a final exam.