Be Wary...This Textbook Is Not Suitable For Some Courses (Family Law - Mr Jonathan Herring)

Member Name: Flowers_

Product:	Family Law - Mr Jonathan Herring
Date:	25/08/09 (17 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The book offers very clear and easy to follow explanations of the law.

Disadvantages: It lacks references to case law in some areas, and there is little critical analysis.

I was quite disappointed with 'Family Law' by Herring. Despite being written by one of the best academics in the country, this textbook is not as versatile as readers may have hoped. This textbook simply is not suitable for some courses.

My review of the textbook is solely based upon the demands of my course (at a modest Russell Group University). It is possible that this textbook may meet your needs better, depending upon which areas of family law are taught, and in what depth.

The book describes the law itself in a very clear and concise manner. However, it is, on the whole, a simple description of the law as it stands. It is a very basic textbook, which appears to sacrifice depth in favour of breadth.

For example, the section on nullity bizarrely states that many Americans sit a compatibility test before marrying their chosen partner. While this fact may be interesting, it is simply irrelevant. This may be forgivable, were it not for the fact that this section contains painfully few references to case law. The section on nullity does little more than explain the statute (which itself, is pretty self-explanatory).

Similarly, the textbook is not very well-rounded. It appears to be completely geared towards problem questions. It contains little critical analysis of the case law, and very few references to the academic debates currently engulfing the family law world. Often in an examination scenario, candidates find that they are unable to avoid answering an essay question, due to the topics the candidate has revised not appearing on the paper as problem questions. Should this happen to them, this textbook would leave many candidates woefully under-prepared.

While I understand that candidates are required to read independently of their textbooks, the extent of additional reading required in my case rendered the textbook almost redundant. I simply could not use this textbook for anything: it was, unfortunately, even less detailed than my lecture notes. In the end I purchased 'Family Law' by Bromley, which also explained the law in a simple way, but was far more informative and critical in tone.

It should be noted that the 3rd edition of this book is now rather outdated following several recent judgments by the domestic courts and the European Court of Human Rights, regarding adoption.

As an introductory textbook (perhaps for summer reading) this book would be excellent. It would also serve as an excellent revision aid to those revising their knowledge of family law in preparation for interviews. However, it would be unwise for students on some courses to rely upon this textbook alone if they are aiming to achieve a high grade in their final year of study.

In the interests of fairness, I should reiterate again that my review is only based upon the demands of my course. Many people will have used this textbook and found it intrinsically useful.

However I would be doing my fellow reviewers a gross disservice if I did not give an honest appraisal of my views.

Summary: This book will divide readers.