Contracts: Cases and Doctrine

Aspen Casebook Series

by Randy E. Barnett

Contracts: Cases and Doctrine, Sixth Edition, features a mix of lightly-edited classic and contemporary cases that stresses current contract doctrine along with the essential lawyering skill of case analysis—how to sift through the facts of the case to discern the prevailing rules and theory. Randy Barnett and Nate Oman’s innovative text introduces each case and provides the historical background of the iconic cases that make the study of contract law engaging. Study Guide questions help students identify salient issues as they read each case. Judicial biographies of each judge provides additional context.

Key Features of the New Edition:

The 6th Edition has been edited to make it even more modular and therefore easier for professors to select which doctrines to cover. The introductory materials have been shortened to permit a speedier entry to whichever basic doctrine the professor chooses to begin with. A new section on public policy defenses has been added.   Recent developments involving arbitration agreements in the wake of the Supreme Court’s AT&T Mobility case are also covered.   In addition, roughly a dozen new cases have been substituted, chosen for their interesting facts or their proven pedagogical usefulness.   As always, every effort is made to provide students with background materials on the litigation, such as new judicial biographies and excerpts from recently published scholarship dealing with the cases covered.

New cases include:

Jordan v. Knafel Arnold Porter v. Fuqua Industries Nguyen v. Barnes & Noble Inc.

Also, in keeping with the book’s focus on the “classic” cases we have included some iconic cases missing from earlier editions, including:

Masterson v. Sine Security Stove & Manfacturing Co. v. American Railway Express Lefkowitz v. Great Minneapolis Surplus Store Lawrence v. Fox Harris v. Watson

Genres: Law, Nonfiction, Politics, Legal

1201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 31, 1995

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting for a textbook with lots of good background extras included. My only complaint is its heavy reliance on unintelligible old English case law.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read significant portions of this case book for a two semester contracts class taught by Professor Chung at Albany Law School.

I think most students do not enter law school to study the law of contracts. I know I didn't. For whatever reason it was not what inspired me to become a lawyer. However, after reading this case book and being introduced to the topic the law of contracts is throughly interesting and something that I wouldn't mind studying more of or even practicing in the future.

Barnett's casebook presents the law of contracts in a very clear way mostly through case law buttressed by law review articles, treatise excerpts, sections of the restatement of contracts.

Overall, one of the better case books I have read

[Maddie Nixon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Would not recommend 😔

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hate the class, so that doesn't help with my opinion about this book, but the layout could have been much better in order to be more effective reading.

[Sam Andrus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cons, tracts, and everything in between -Jeffery e statement

[Dylan Kochan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My professor wrote this book. I sincerely enjoyed his class. He also introduced me to a wonderful book called, "Law & Revolution: The History of Western Tradition," which analyzes how Catholic Papal reforms contributed to the Western legal tradition (this is one area of focus in the book that interests me).

[Tanner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contracts was not my favorite class, but I did like the supplemental essays and background in this book that helped you see law as more than just the text of the case.

[Claire · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible. Do not recommend.

[Jackie Days · Rating 5 out of 5]

My guiding light, my North Star <3 I love you, contracts

[Andrew Spratley · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a law students- this book gives me pain and suffering especially when the professor cannot explain the topics presented.

[SK]

“What is a chicken?” is in fact a question this casebook attempts to answer.

[Ishani Patel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly the best casebook I had this semester. The cases were decently interesting and I was usually able to follow along with what was happening.

[Hana · Rating 3 out of 5]

me when i lie and say i read this whole thing

[Jake · Rating 2 out of 5]

A K-law casebook is not for everyone, but perhaps for your aspiring lawyer friend or significant other, or perhaps to shut up that precocious teenager who, having just read Nietzsche or Turgenov, thinks he knows everything. It that case, Barnett's choice to include short essays flushing out the historical background is a welcome departure from your typical casebook, which prizes a ongoing series of open-ended questions that are typically irrelevant to the course as taught.

[mz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the prose and organization of this casebook easy to understand. Although I never had time to read them, I liked that Barnett included historical background on some of the major cases and that he included diverse perspectives on contract law.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious and riveting ride through the development and current state of contract affairs in the USA (plus some riotous cases from 17th century England).

[sologdin · Rating 2 out of 5]

by far the best course in lawyer school. this text is fine for it. works through ye olde English common law doctrines with proficiency.