Law Library Classification Scheme

The Moys Classification Scheme

The collection is classified according to the Moys classification scheme, 3rd. edition. The scheme was developed on the basis that legal materials may be divided most conveniently into primary materials (statute and case law) and secondary materials (treatises and periodicals). The central feature of the scheme is the treatment as a unit of those countries whose legal systems are based almost entirely on the English Common Law, ie. England and Wales, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United States and the former British West Indian colonies. Territorial jurisdictions with Civil Law systems or legal systems not wholly based on the Common Law eg. those in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe, are treated as separate units.

Subject	Classification	Row
Reference Works	K	1.1 - 1.3
Jurisprudence	KA	1.4
Biography	KB 10-22	1.4
International Law	KC 1-1425	1.4 - 1.5
Conflict of Laws	KC 2000-2150	1.5
Religious Legal Systems	KD	1.5
Ancient & Medieval Law	KE	1.5

Within the Common Law Unit primary materials are subdivided first, by territorial jurisdiction and then by form (parliamentary publications [including Statutes] and law reports). Secondary materials are subdivided first by subject and then territorial jurisdiction within each subject area. Periodicals are interfiled with other secondary materials. In other national systems, division by country comes first followed by form (for primary materials) and subject (for secondary materials). Reference books; jurisprudence; international law; religious legal systems and ancient and medieval law are treated separately from these national systems.

A broad outline of the Moys Classification Scheme is given below together with the row numbers where the materials are shelved in the Law Library.

Subject	Classification	Row
Common Law -Primary Materials British Isles	KF	1.5-1.9
Canada, USA	KG	1.9-1.11
Australia, N Z	KH	1.12-1.21
Common Law - Treatises/Periodicals General	KL	2.6-2.8
Legal Profession	50-101
Admin. of Justice	200-319
Legal History	400-480
Public Law	KM	2.9
Constitutional & Admin.Law	31-334
Taxation	335-337
Criminal Law & Procedure	500-690
Criminology	700-799
Private Law	KN	2.10-2.11
Contract and Tort	5-39
Property (Real & Personal)	50-110
Personal & Social Laws	150-169
Family Law	170-179
Industrial Law	190-198
Equity	200-203
Trusts & Trustees	210-221
Commercial Law	250-287
Companies`	262-265
Sale of Goods	280-287
Insurance	290-295
Finance	300-315
Maritime Law	330-339
Practice & Procedure	350-400
Evidence	390-399
Comparative Law	KP	2.11
Other Modern Legal Systems Africa	KR	2.11
Latin America	KS	2.11
Asia and Pacific	KT	2.11
Europe	KV	2.11
European Communities	KW	2.11

Moys Classification and Thesaurus for Legal Materials, 3rd. ed.
by Elizabeth Moys. London: Bowker Saur, 1992