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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 38, Number 26. 1975

History of Socratic or Case Method

History of Socratic or Case Method

The case method is detailed in the 1975 Law School Record of the University of Chicago by Professor Max Rheinstein. The professor traces case method back to one Christopher Columbus Langdell. At the Harvard Law School in 1870 Langdell prepared a collection of cases on contract The collection was carefully chosen to represent the rules and principles of the field. Students were expected by their own study of these cases to discover the underlying rules and principles. They were to be guided by the instructor, by asking questions, so as to stimulate analysis and discussion.

The case method has been used at Victoria University's Law Faculty since the mid 1950's. It was employed by Professor I.D. Campell (now Deputy Vice Chancellor) in both Crimes and Land Law. It was used regularly in the same period by Professor B.D. Inglis and others. At present it is used by lecturers in contract, torts, legal system, commercial, crimes and constitutional law. Of the present staff of approximately 25 only 5 members use the method. Some of these rely on it all the time while others use it occasionally. The suggestion that Mr Thomas is responsible for its increased use is incorrect. The method is over 100 years old and has been used by some members of the Faculty for twenty years.