Resources Help File

"The Making of Modern Law: Trials, 1600-1926 comprises thousands of books and pamphlets. It covers adultery, commercial law, conspiracy, constitutional law, crimes against persons, domestic relations, dueling, elections, impeachment, international law, land, libel, military offenses, murder, slavery, theft, torts, treason and wills, among many other subjects. In addition to works pertaining to English-speaking jurisdictions such as the United States, Britain, Ireland and Canada, English-language titles about trials in other jurisdictions such as France are included. Books encompassing multiple trials are included as well as books about a single trial. Books about general trial procedures, legal doctrines and advocacy methods are excluded, as are books about crimes not resulting in trials." --Publisher

Based on holdings of the law libraries of Harvard and Yale, and the Library of the Bar of the City of New York as well as some from the British Library. Collections include not only published trial transcripts, but also popular printed accounts of sensational trials for murder, adultery and other scandalous crimes. Access also to unofficially published accounts of trials, as well as briefs, arguments and other trial documents where these were printed as separate publications.