1
of
1
The Origins of Reasonable Doubt
Theological Roots of the Criminal Trial
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 33 ratings, 2 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$5999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 3-4 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
The Origins of Reasonable Doubt
$5999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This book is ideal for readers interested in legal history, philosophy of law, and the intersections of religion and justice. It appeals to students, legal professionals, and anyone curious about the evolution of fundamental legal safeguards.
Latest News
New Releases to add to your TBR (11th August)
There's a new release for everyone this week - here's your TBR roundup! Lizzy shares...
Book Briefing - 11th August
New Zealand books are recognized internationally, AI continues to cause drama, exciting new books are...
Exciting New Tonies - Minecraft / Chronicles of Narnia
New Tonies up for pre-order including Minecraft, Chronicles of Narnia, Tom Fletcher & Enid Blyton.
Remembering Sir Sam Neill
I was so saddened when I heard of the passing of Sam Neill. I've enjoyed...
Book Briefing - 5th August
Welcome to this week's Book Briefing where we round up the news for the week!
See more
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
To be convicted of a crime in the United States, a person must be proven guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt." But what is reasonable doubt? Even sophisticated legal experts find this fundamental doctrine difficult to explain. In this accessible book, James Q. Whitman digs deep into the history of the law and discovers that we have lost sight of the original purpose of reasonable doubt. It was not originally a legal rule at all, he shows, but a theological one.
The rule as we understand it today is intended to protect the accused. But Whitman traces its history back through centuries of Christian theology and common-law history to reveal that the original concern was to protect the souls of jurors. In Christian tradition, a person who experienced doubt yet convicted an innocent defendant was guilty of a mortal sin. Jurors fearful for their own souls were reassured that they were safe, as long as their doubts were not "reasonable." Today, the old rule of reasonable doubt survives, but it has been turned to different purposes. The result is confusion for jurors and a serious moral challenge for our system of justice.
Series: Yale Law Library Series in Legal History and Reference
View all-
Marital Privilege
How the privileged legal status of marriage survived decades of constitutional struggle and social change The United States is unusual among wealthy western nations in the degree to which the law channels public benefits and private economic resources through marriage. This remains so despite seismic changes in American family life in the last several decades. During this period, marriage rates...Hardback$8399Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
An Empire of Laws
A compelling reexamination of how Britain used law to shape its empire For many years, Britain tried to impose its own laws on the peoples it conquered, and English common law usually followed the Union Jack. However, the common law became less common after Britain emerged from the Seven Years' War (1754β63) as the worldβs most powerful empire. At that...Hardback$13199Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
Power and Justice in Medieval England
How the medieval right to appoint a parson helped give birth to English common law Appointing a parson to the local church following a vacancyβan βadvowsonββwas one of the most important rights in medieval England. The king, the monasteries, and local landowners all wanted to control advowsons because they meant political, social, and economic influence. The question of law turned...Hardback$10799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
Memory and Authority
Memory and Authority by Jack M. Balkin offers a sweeping rethinking of the uses of history in constitutional interpretation, penned by one of the nation's preeminent constitutional scholars. Fights over history are at the heart of most important constitutional disputes in America. The Supreme Court's current embrace of originalism is only the most recent example of how lawyers and judges...Paperback$5999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
Oscar Wilde on Trial
The most authoritative account of a pivotal event in legal and cultural history: the trials of Oscar Wilde on charges of βgross indecencyβ Among the most infamous prosecutions of a literary figure in history, the two trials of Oscar Wilde for committing acts of βgross indecencyβ occurred at the height of his fame. After being found guilty, Wilde spent two...Hardback$15499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
The Origins of Reasonable Doubt
To be convicted of a crime in the United States, a person must be proven guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt." But what is reasonable doubt? Even sophisticated legal experts find this fundamental doctrine difficult to explain. In this accessible book, James Q. Whitman digs deep into the history of the law and discovers that we have lost sight of the...Paperback$5999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
The Interbellum Constitution
A synthesis of legal, political, and social history to show how the post-founding generations were forced to rethink and substantially revise the U.S. constitutional vision. Between 1815 and 1861, American constitutional law and politics underwent a profound transformation. These decades of the Interbellum Constitution were a foundational period of both constitutional crisis and creativity. The Interbellum Constitution was a set...Hardback$8399Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780300219906
Publisher: Yale University Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 23 February 2016
Country: United States
Imprint: Yale University Press
Illustration: 8 b-w illus.
Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Width: 156.0mm
Height: 235.0mm
Weight: 367g
Pages: 288
About the Author
James Q. Whitman is Ford Foundation Professor of Comparative and Foreign Law, Yale University, and author of the award-winning book Harsh Justice. He lives in New York City, NY.
Also by James Q. Whitman
View all-
Hitler's American Model
How American race law provided a blueprint for Nazi Germany. Nazism triumphed in Germany during the high era of Jim Crow laws in the United States. Did the American regime of racial oppression in any way inspire the Nazis? The unsettling answer is yes. In Hitler's American Model, James Whitman presents a detailed investigation of the American impact on the...Hardback$11300Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Hitler's American Model
Nazism triumphed in Germany during the high era of Jim Crow laws in the United States. Did the American regime of racial oppression in any way inspire the Nazis? The unsettling answer is yes. In Hitler's American Model, James Whitman presents a detailed investigation of the American impact on the notorious Nuremberg Laws, the centrepiece anti-Jewish legislation of the Nazi...Paperback$4500Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks
More from Education & Reference
View all-
The Body Keeps the Score
The Body Keeps the Score by Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a compelling and compassionate exploration of the deep-seated impact of trauma on the human body and mind. This groundbreaking work delves into the complex causes of trauma and paints a vivid picture of the revolutionary treatments that are enabling countless individuals to reclaim their lives filled with purpose...Paperback$2400Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseThe Age Code
What if the food you eat could rewind your biological clock? 'Clear and compelling' β Chris van Tulleken 'Really interesting and insightful' β Joe Wicks 'Fascinating' β Tim Spector From the rising incidence of cancer in the under-50s to increased infertility rates, there are signs everywhere that growing numbers of us are ageing too quickly. Why? Many believe thereβs one...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Maori Made Easy Workbook 1/Kete 1
Maori Made Easy Workbook 1/Kete 1 by Scotty Morrison is the ultimate companion for anyone eager to learn the beautiful and complex Maori language. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to brush up on your skills, this workbook offers a structured and engaging way to immerse yourself in te reo Maori. Designed to be accessible regardless of your starting...Paperback$2000Elsewhere:$2500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseSuicidal Empathy
The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...Paperback$3099Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
One Last Question, Prime Minister
From Muldoon to Luxon, untold stories from the House of Parliament Barry Soper has spent close to five decades questioning New Zealand's prime ministers.From the imposing, larger-than-life characters of Rob Muldoon and David Lange, to the golden age of Helen Clark and John Key, and the post-Covid era of Jacinda Ardern and the 'Chrises', Soper's insight and nose for a...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New Release2027 Witch's Diary - Southern Hemisphere
From the bestselling authors of Spellcasting, which has now sold over 250,000 copies worldwide, comes the essential witchy journal to plan your days, harness magick, and connect with higher powers. Features include: 8" x 6" (8" x 12" open) Beautiful glossy gold gatefold cover Compact size, perfect to carry in your bag and keep on you throughout the day 12-month...Paperback$1999Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Signed CopyNew Release"What Were You Thinking!?"
Everything parents need to know about their baby, child or teen's developing brain to raise resilient, emotional intelligent kids, by globally renowned neuroscience educator Nathan Wallis. 'What were you thinking!?'If you've ever asked this in despair while watching a toddler melt down, a tween push boundaries or a teenager make a truly terrible decision, this book is for you.InΒ "What Were...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Signed CopyNew Release
Go Hard or Go Home
From the front bench to rock bottom:Β Go Hard or Go HomeΒ is Kiri Allan's fearless memoir of ambition, disruption and survival in NZ politics and beyond. Kiri Allan's six-year political career spanned some of the most challenging times in recent history. Events a government might encounter once in a generation stacked up: a terrorist attack, a volcanic eruption, destructive and deadly...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseRegime Change
From the two reporters who have covered him more closely than perhaps anyone else over the past decade comes this definitive portrait of Donald Trump in the White House and the first year of his second presidency. Based on hundreds of interviews and unprecedented reporting from deep within the administrationβs most closely guarded rooms, Regime Change takes the reader into...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$4299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Maori Made Easy Workbook 2/Kete 2
Immerse yourself in the richness of the MΔori language with Maori Made Easy Workbook 2/Kete 2 by renowned TV personality and passionate te reo MΔori advocate, Scotty Morrison. This comprehensive workbook is designed to cater to learners of all levels, making the beautiful language of the MΔori people accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Building on the successful approach of the...Paperback$2000Elsewhere:$2500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Roadmap to Property Success
Ready to ditch the 9-to-5 and build lasting wealth through property? In Roadmap to Property Success, seasoned investor and coach Steve Goodey shares the exact strategies that helped him β and thousands of Kiwis β build sustainable property portfolios from scratch. With real-life lessons, hard-won wisdom, and zero sugar-coating, this is your no-BS guide to property investing in New Zealand....Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Aotearoa in Bloom
Lushly illustrated book about the history and uses of many of New Zealand's native flowering plants and trees, including their significance in te ao MΔori. He puΔwai, he kΕrero. For every flower, a story. Did you know that Aotearoa has more than 2000 species of flowering plants, and that more than 80 per cent of them are found nowhere else...Hardback$4699Elsewhere:$6000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
