ODDITIES IN CALIFORNIA LAW

Abstract

California has a double heritage coming from colonization by the Spanish and Mexicans and interaction with the American pioneer. The author reviews the adoption in California of the common law of England and its interaction with certain aspects of embedded Spanish law, especially the concept of conciliacion. He then reviews how the pioneers’ prejudices were incorporated into interpretations of the laws and illustrates how California provides an old precedent for the recent loyalty oath statutes.