Includes bibliographical references (p. [419]-442) and index.

The formation of Middle Eastern law -- The contemporary Middle East : a historical primer -- Constitutional law : the specificity of Middle Eastern constitutionalism -- Constitutional review : the spread of constitutional councils and courts -- Judicial review : criminal and administrative law -- Introduction : from the age of codification to the age of case-law -- Civil law : style and substance -- Commercial law : globalization and tradition -- Family law : the search for equality.

"This book provides an introduction to the laws of the Middle East, defining the contours of a field of study that deserves to be called 'Middle Eastern law'. It introduces Middle Eastern law as a reflection of legal styles, many of which are shared by Islamic law and the laws of Christian and Jewish Near Eastern communities. It offers a detailed survey of the foundations of Middle Eastern law, using court archives and an array of legal sources from the earliest records of Hammurabi to the massive compendia of law in the Islamic classical age through to the latest decisions of Middle Eastern high courts. It focuses on the way legislators and courts conceive of law and apply it in the Middle East. It also builds on the author's extensive legal practice, with the aim of introducing the Middle Eastern law's main sources and concepts in a manner accessible to non-specialist legal scholars and practitioners alike."--Jacket.

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