David J. Bodenhamer

Randall T. Shepard

Long regarded as a center for middle-American values, Indiana is also a cultural crossroads that has produced a rich and complex legal and constitutional heritage. The History of Indiana Law traces this history through a series of expert articles by identifying the themes that mark the state’s legal development and establish its place within the broader context of the Midwest and nation. The History of Indiana Law explores the ways in which the state’s legal culture responded to—and at times resisted—the influence of national legal developments, including the tortured history of race relations in Indiana. Legal issues addressed by the contributors include the Indiana constitutional tradition, civil liberties, race, women’s rights, family law, welfare and the poor, education, crime and punishment, juvenile justice, the role of courts and judiciary, and landmark cases. The essays describe how Indiana law has adapted to the needs of an increasingly complex society. The History of Indiana Law is an indispensable reference and invaluable first source to learn about law and society in Indiana during almost two centuries of statehood.

The History of Indiana Law

In addition to having a reputation as an epicenter for middle American values, Indiana is a cultural crossroads that has produced a rich and complex legal and constitutional heritage. The History of Indiana Law traces this history though a series of expert essays by identifying the themes that mark the state's legal development and establish its broader context in the Midwest and nation. Issues addressed by the commissioned writers include: the revolutionary framework bequeathed by the new American republic, including the Northwest Ordinance and the U.S. Constitution of 1787; the shift to Jacksonian democracy, with its emphasis on states' rights, individualism, market capitalism, and limited government; the rise of the industrial heartland and the growth of bureaucratic government; and the adaptation of law to the increasingly complex society of modern Indiana. The contributors also explore the ways in which the state's legal culture responded to---and at times resisted---the influence of national legal developments. Although Indiana outlawed slavery in 1816, the state's laws did not welcome African Americans. The book traces the tortured history of race relations in Indiana and helps explain why the state became a hotbed of white supremacy in the 1920s. Written by leading lawyers and historians, The History of Indiana Law is the indispensable reference and invaluable first source to learn about law and society in Indiana during almost two centuries of statehood. David J. Bodenhamer is professor of history and executive director of The Polis Center at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He is author or editor of six books, including Fair Trail: Rights of the Accused in American History and The Bill of Rights in Modern America: After 200 Years (with James W. Ely, Jr).The Hon. Randall T. Shepard, an Evansville native, was appointed to the Indiana Supreme in 1985 and was later promoted to Chief Justice of the court.

Randall T. Shepard

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