The Nature and Authority of Precedent (Paperback)

Part I. Introduction - The Usable Past: 1. Precedent; 2. Positivism and precedent; 3. A theory of precedent?; Part II. Why Does English Law Have a Doctrine of Precedent?: 4. The formation of a doctrine of precedent; Part III. Precedents as Reasons: 5. Looking for a certain ratio; 6. Shortcuts to reason; 7. Pre-emptive precedent?; 8. Conclusion; Part IV. Distinguishing, Overruling and the Problem of Self-Reference: 9. Distinguishing; 10. Overruling; 11. The power to overrule oneself; 12. The authority of the Practice Statement; Part V. Why Follow Precedent?: 13. Consequentialist justifications; 14. Deontological arguments; 15. Conclusion.