Legal Definitions - Langdell system

The Langdell system, also known as the casebook method, is a way of teaching law in which students study specific cases to learn general legal principles. It was introduced by Professor Christopher C. Langdell at Harvard Law School in 1869 and is now the most widely used form of instruction in American law schools.

For example, in a class on contract law, students might study a case where a person entered into a contract to buy a car but the seller did not deliver the car. By analyzing the details of the case, students can learn about the legal principles of offer, acceptance, and breach of contract.

The Langdell system is different from the Socratic method, where the teacher asks questions to guide students to a conclusion, and the hornbook method, where students read textbooks to learn legal principles.