Synopses & Reviews
In addition to having a reputation as an epicenter for middle American values, Indiana is a cultural crossroads that has produced a rich and complex legal and constitutional heritage. The History of Indiana Law traces this history though a series of expert essays by identifying the themes that mark the state's legal development and establish its broader context in the Midwest and nation. Issues addressed by the commissioned writers include: the revolutionary framework bequeathed by the new American republic, including the Northwest Ordinance and the U.S. Constitution of 1787; the shift to Jacksonian democracy, with its emphasis on states' rights, individualism, market capitalism, and limited government; the rise of the industrial heartland and the growth of bureaucratic government; and the adaptation of law to the increasingly complex society of modern Indiana. The contributors also explore the ways in which the state's legal culture responded to---and at times resisted---the influence of national legal developments. Although Indiana outlawed slavery in 1816, the state's laws did not welcome African Americans. The book traces the tortured history of race relations in Indiana and helps explain why the state became a hotbed of white supremacy in the 1920s. Written by leading lawyers and historians, The History of Indiana Law is the indispensable reference and invaluable first source to learn about law and society in Indiana during almost two centuries of statehood. David J. Bodenhamer is professor of history and executive director ofThe Polis Center at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He is author or editor of six books, including Fair Trail: Rights of the Accused in American History and The Bill of Rights in Modern America: After 200 Years (with James W. Ely, Jr).The Hon. Randall T. Shepard, an Evansville native, was appointed to the Indiana Supreme in 1985 and was later promoted to Chief Justice of the court.
Review
Every state should have a book like this, and the authors and editors deserve a great deal of credit for adding this one to the four existing volumes in the Law, Society and Politics in the Midwest series.”
Elizabeth Brand Monroe, Indiana Magazine of History
Review
Hoosier lawyers will covet this book because it amounts to a mini-encyclopedia that expertly lays out the basic facts and patterns of the states legal history. Historians may hope it does even more. If readers come to consider the state and its system of justice as historically constructed
then
The History of Indianas Law will have performed an immensely valuable service to the state as well as to its historians and lawyers.”
The American Journal of Legal History
Synopsis
Long regarded as a center for middle-American values, Indiana is also a cultural crossroads that has produced a rich and complex legal and constitutional heritage.
The History of Indiana Law traces this history through a series of expert articles by identifying the themes that mark the states legal development and establish its place within the broader context of the Midwest and nation.
The History of Indiana Law explores the ways in which the states legal culture responded toand at times resistedthe influence of national legal developments, including the tortured history of race relations in Indiana. Legal issues addressed by the contributors include the Indiana constitutional tradition, civil liberties, race, womens rights, family law, welfare and the poor, education, crime and punishment, juvenile justice, the role of courts and judiciary, and landmark cases. The essays describe how Indiana law has adapted to the needs of an increasingly complex society.
The History of Indiana Law is an indispensable reference and invaluable first source to learn about law and society in Indiana during almost two centuries of statehood.
About the Author
David J. Bodenhamer is a professor of history and the executive director of The Polis Center at Indiana UniversityPurdue University Indianapolis. He is the author or editor of six books, including
Fair Trial: Rights of the Accused in American History and
The Bill of Rights in Modern America: After 200 Years (with James W. Ely Jr.).
Randall T. Shepard, an Evansville native, has become one of the most respected jurists in the country. Shepard was appointed to the Supreme Court of Indiana in 1985 and was later promoted to chief justice of the court.