The History of Michigan Law offers the first serious survey of Michigan’s rich legal past. Michigan legislators have played a leading role in developing modern rape laws, in protecting the environment, and in assuring the right to counsel for those accused of crimes. The History of Michigan Law documents and analyzes, as well, Michigan’s legal developments in environmental concerns, civil rights, and women’s history. The story of Michigan’s legal history includes high-profile cases such as the Dr. Ossian Sweet murder trial, the cross-district busing case Milliken v. Bradley, and the precedent-setting affirmative action cases brought against the University of Michigan Law School. This book will serve as the entry point for all future studies that involve law and society in Michigan and will be invaluable in the comparative study of state law. As 2005 marks the bicentennial of the establishment of the Michigan Supreme Court, as well as the bicentennial of the creation of the Michigan Territory, The History of Michigan Law has relevance beyond the legal community for scholars and students of American history.