Legal Unification through Case Law?

Can courts create legal unity? This volume explores the role of supreme courts in the emergence of uniform law in the modern era. While legal unification is commonly associated with legislation and codification, the contributions collected here demonstrate that judicial decision-making has often been an equally important force in overcoming legal fragmentation. Through case studies from Austria, Germany, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, and the British Empire, the authors examine how supreme courts shaped legal development, harmonised divergent legal traditions, and established common interpretative frameworks across complex legal landscapes. The volume highlights the interaction between adjudication, legal scholarship, and legislation, revealing the judiciary as a central actor in processes of legal integration. It offers fresh perspectives on the relationship between courts, legal change, and the creation of uniform law.