This guide is intended for students and researchers studying the legal history of the civil law tradition at the University of Oxford, although students and researchers from any field may find it useful.
Use this guide to find out about sources and commentary for Western European or civil law legal history, including ebooks, ejournals, and databases.
Online resources available to anyone with access to the internet
Researchers interested in the history of the legal systems of continental Europe will need to pay extra attention to the location of any results in SOLO. The collection of legal history materials for European/Scandinavian countries beyond the British Isles has traditionally been shared between Bodleian's History Reading Rooms, the Bodleian Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library, Taylorian Library and the Law Library.
Fortunately a single SOLO search should locate the available resources where ever they happen to be. Use the official websites of the individual library to check opening hours, services etc.
The Law Bod concentrates its collection on the history of common law or Anglo- American legal tradition, it is not entirely without materials which may support European legal history studies. Law Library books with shelf marks beginning General or Legal History can be found on Level 2, the floor at which you enter the library. If the shelf mark begins with the name of a modern continental jurisdiction eg Italy or Germany you will need to visit Level 3, accessible via both lift and stairs. Please ask for directions when you are in the Law Library: we are always happy to help.