Curated OER
Would You Live Common Law?
Students explore common law. In this sociology lesson, students discover what constitutes common law unions in Canada and then discuss how common law relationships compare to marriages.
University of Groningen
American History: Biographies: William Blackstone (1723 1780)
A thorough biography of Sir William Blackstone. Blackstone is a recognized lawyer born in England and played an integral part of the development of the common law legal system in the United States during the Revolutionary War, and the...
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Common Law
This article provides a detailed history of common law, as well as information on its principles, the differences between common law and civil law, and modern-day common law.
![Plri: Legislative Efforts to Strengthen Marriage [Pdf] Activity](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Plri: Legislative Efforts to Strengthen Marriage [Pdf] Activity")
Other
Plri: Legislative Efforts to Strengthen Marriage [Pdf]
This article, written for the Public Law Research Institute, summarizes the changes made in laws by the states to strengthen the institution of marriage.
Other
Courts of Nova Scotia: Glossary of Legal Terms
A useful glossary containing a list of key terms used in the Canadian legal system.
CPALMS
Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: What's Law Got to Do With It?
This tutorial explains the types of laws in the legal system of the United States. A PDF file of the tutorial is available.
University of Toronto (Canada)
Bora Laskin Law Library: Community Legal Information on the Web
A superb collection of links relating to the legal system in Ontario and Canada from a citizen's perspective. The site is quite comprehensive in its coverage.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: Article Iv: Development of the Modern Rule
This resource provides information about Article IV of the United States Constitution.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: Article Iv: Doctrine of the Equality of States
This resource discusses Clause 1, Section 3, in Article IV. It outlines the parameters put in place to ensure that as new states entered the union, power was equitably distributed among all.
Other
Archiving Early America: Greg Bailey: Blackstone in America
Sir William Blackstone, attorney at law, unsuspecting, created quite a stir in England when he began a lecture series in 1758. His delivery may have led to the turning point in the development of colonies in the New World and directly...
Other
American Law 101: Sources of American Law
This website provides a nice overview of the five common sources of American law (common law, statutory law, administrative law, court rules, and constitutional law.
US National Archives
Nara: The Magna Carta
One of the historical events that led to the creation of the limited government of the United States, the Magna Carta was written in 1215 as a promise from King John of England to his demanding barons. It put English kings under the rule...
Cornell University
Cornell University: Law School: Marriage Laws
This web page from Cornell University Law School contains information, in chart form, about the marriage laws of the fifty states. The chart gives information about the state to state differences when getting married.
Nolo
Nolo: Common Law Marriage
This resource provides the definition and conditions of common law marriage and notes which states recognize this type of relationship.
Other
Blackstone Institute: Bashing Blackstone
Sir William Blackstone, prominent English attorney, is featured in this article. Discover critical points to Blackstone's view of common law and why it may be "dangerous" to bash him for what his Commentaries on the Laws of England...
iCivics
I Civics: William Blackstone: Mini Lesson
Discover how William Blackstone and his "Commentaries on the Laws of England" influenced America's founders, founding documents, and legal system.
Other
North Central Internet News: Trend in Tort Reform Laws
"No fault, no individual freedom, no responsibility" - a commentary on Tort Reform and, in the opinion of the writer, a camouflage to end the fundamental right to have remedy when injury or damage occurs as the result of a wrong...