Law's Empire

Law's Empire by Ronald Dworkin is a groundbreaking exploration of the fundamental principles that underpin the Anglo-American legal system. Dworkin argues that judges must interpret difficult cases rather than simply applying past legal decisions, and he presents a general theory of interpretation as it applies to both literature and law. He disputes prevailing theories that assume law is purely a reflection of community conventions or an instrument to achieve societal goals, instead insisting that the most critical function of law is to ensure the principled and coherent treatment of all members of a political community. Dworkin cites numerous cases in which his theory of political and legal integrity provides the key to understanding and analyzing the intricacies of Anglo-American legal theory and practice.