Foreword

AuthorThomas A Cromwell CC.
Pages15-16
xv
FOR E WOR D
A fourth edition already! The only thing better t han a good legal text
is a good legal text that is current. Once again, Professor Coughlan
has stayed on top of this quick ly developing field and provided a new
edition that takes account of the sig nificant developments in the law
since the release of his t hird edition. While no furt her evidence of
Professor Coughlan’s talent or industry is needed, this fourth edition
demonstrates that neither is on t he wane. In keeping the book so cur-
rent, Professor Coughlan has en sured that it will conti nue to serve the
profession well, both as a mature overv iew of the underlying princi-
ples and as an up-to-date resource of the leading jurispr udence and
scholarly commentary. Particularly welcome is the ex tensive update of
the chapter on search and sei zure, one of the most important and most
quickly evolving areas of cr iminal procedure.
That a sophisticated overview is much needed cannot be in doubt.
In crimina l procedure, as Professor Coughlan astutely obser ves,
important questions of legal principle and societal values underlie
almost every question. The complex technicality of the subject must be
mastered, but not to the neglect of the underlying funda mental princi-
ples and deeply held values that are in play. Each edition of this book
has succeeded in striking this ba lance: the rules are there, but they are
always placed in the broader context of the underlying pr inciples and
values.
As with previous editions, this fourth edition offers a quickly
accessible and sure-footed guide over tricky ter rain. But that is not all:

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT