The text focuses mainly on official sources and official versions with references, when appropriate, to full texts. The volume also indicates the availability of English translations or digests of particular laws as well as the existence of English-language introductions to the law or legal systems of these jurisdictions. The sources are listed alphabetically by subject area. In addition, a descriptive essay for each jurisdiction summarizes the legal history of the jurisdiction and critically examines the "handbooks" to its legal system. The jurisdictions in this volume include members of common-law and civil-law legal systems, Romanist-Germanic systems, and socialist legal systems. An introduction notes that European law has undergone continuing development and modernization during the 20th century, with further legal and economic restructuring taking place during the establishment of the European Community in 1992-93. The rapid shift to market economies in the U.S.S.R. and Eastern Europe makes it difficult to describe their legal systems in a stable and consistent fashion. Appended list of international conventions and treaties