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Is a specific discipline of law capitalized?

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:49 am
by thekunstis
Do I capitalize "public interest law" if I am not referring to an actual course in particular, rather the subject/discipline as a whole?

Re: Is a specific discipline of law capitalized?

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:52 am
by RVP11
thekunstis wrote:Do I capitalize "public interest law" if I am not referring to an actual course in particular, rather the subject/discipline as a whole?
No.

Re: Is a specific discipline of law capitalized?

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:56 am
by thekunstis
RVP11 wrote:
thekunstis wrote:Do I capitalize "public interest law" if I am not referring to an actual course in particular, rather the subject/discipline as a whole?
No.
How bout this? A certain schools public interest programs. Again not any one in particular. Would I capitalize GULC's public interest programs?

Re: Is a specific discipline of law capitalized?

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:57 am
by 3ThrowAway99
No. (re: capitilzing disciplines such as contract law is not used a part of program name or other proper name).

Re: Is a specific discipline of law capitalized?

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:58 am
by 3ThrowAway99
thekunstis wrote:
RVP11 wrote:
thekunstis wrote:Do I capitalize "public interest law" if I am not referring to an actual course in particular, rather the subject/discipline as a whole?
No.
How bout this? A certain schools public interest programs. Again not any one in particular. Would I capitalize GULC's public interest programs?

Yes- if it is part of the program name. If not, then I'd say no.

Re: Is a specific discipline of law capitalized?

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:06 am
by thekunstis
So just to be clear if I would be writing a sentence such as " I am extremely interested in the field of real estate law" I would not capitalize the words "real estate law".

Re: Is a specific discipline of law capitalized?

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:14 am
by 3ThrowAway99
thekunstis wrote:So just to be clear if I would be writing a sentence such as " I am extremely interested in the field of real estate law" I would not capitalize the words "real estate law".
That's correct- I am fairly certain you would not capitalize real estate law in that sentence. It is a good question though because people are likely to write that they are taking Property, Contracts, Torts etc when describing their classes, although I believe techinically tort law, contract law, property law should not be capitilized. Perhaps using the capitilization to refer to a specific class is not improper though because it is the title of a particular class (I know that's not exactly what you are asking, but I think it is relevant and may reflect the fact that it is a bit of a tricky question).

You might want to do further research using online searches to see how these terms are being used in professional documents. I think actual usage (i.e. on G-town website, Columbia website etc) may be your best guide if you can find the terms you're looking for referenced in context.

Re: Is a specific discipline of law capitalized?

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:21 am
by 3ThrowAway99
Lol Sorry to worsen you delimma, but the below is copied from the Columbia website:

---
The foundational course in Property feeds into a number of other courses and areas of study in law. Real estate law is covered most directly by Real Estate Finance and Real Estate Transactions. Real Estate Finance studies the various ways in which money is raised for real estate projects and investments and provides a basic grounding in the techniques used in assessing the potential returns from particular real estate projects. Real Estate Transactions follows the basic steps in the modern real estate transaction, including negotiating the contract of sale, obtaining financing, doing a title search, securing title insurance, drafting appropriate deeds and the closing. Students interested in the study of real estate law should also consider Land Use Planning, Local Government Law and Environmental Law. http://www.law.columbia.edu/llmgrad_stu ... s/Property
---

Now I'm fairly confused.. Real estate law is not capitilized, but Property is and Environmental Law is.. WTF. I think maybe this reflects the fact that it is actually a tricky question. I would keep researching it, especially in terms of the exact phrase you are looking to use in the context you are looking to use it in.

EDIT: Actually, I think this holds true to what I said before. Where the author capitilized the subjects he was referring to particular courses at Columbia, but where he did not capitilize he was referring to general subject matter or sub-disciplines of law rather than to a particular course.