Texas’s rich legal heritage spans more than three centuries and is deeply woven into the state’s social and political fabric, but this aspect of the state’s history is relatively unexplored. Texas law evolved in a frontier environment unlike that of any other state, blending elements of Spanish civil law and English common law with uniquely Texan legal tenets. These roots, if understood in all their complexity, shed light on the workings of the modern Texas justice system, which in turn can deepen our understanding of the reciprocal relationship between law and society. Books in the Legal Studies Series contribute to this expanded view by taking a fresh look at the institutions and major figures of the Texas legal system.
