Definition
Legal formants are the different components that concur to build any given legal system. The comparative law scholar can understand the dynamics that shape any legal system through the analysis of their interactions. Legal formants analysis of legal systems have been developed by Rodolfo Sacco, and it is now a recognized and accepted methodology by comparative law scholars.
A Dynamic Approach to Comparative Law
Legal formants are the different components that concur to build any given legal system. The comparative law scholar can understand the dynamics that shape any legal system through the analysis of their interactions. The expression “legal formants” have been transplanted in comparative law from phonetics by Rodolfo Sacco, an Italian law professor based in Torino. “Legal formants” made their appearance in Sacco’s work since the early 1970s (Sacco 1974) and have been subsequently included in his seminal book on comparative law (Sacco 1980). Legal formants theory have...
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Gardella Tedeschi, B. (2019). Legal Formants. In: Marciano, A., Ramello, G.B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Law and Economics. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7753-2_708
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