As the title suggests, this book deals with the basics of law, though it also contains many elements drawn from legal theory and philosophy. The book is, of course, highly relevant and useful for newcomers to the law. Here they will read and learn about the important principles of law. But it will also be valuable for experienced lawyers who every so often wish to return to the basics, the sources as it were, and to measure their concepts of the law with these basic considerations.

Preface for 2018 Edition
Foreword
PART ONE Law and Other Rules of Social Conduct
CHAPTER ONE Society and Order
CHAPTER TWO Social Order
1) Moral Order
A) Relations Between Moral and Legal Rules
B) Public and Private Morality
C) Law and Justice
D) Where Law and Morals Diverge
E) Discussion Points
2) Religious Order
A) Introduction
B) The Nature of Religious Rules
C) Secularization of Turkish Law
D) The Place of Religion in Turkish Law
3) Rules of Manners (Etiquette)
CHAPTER THREE Characteristics Which Distinguish Legal Rules (Norms) from Other Rules of Conduct
CHAPTER FOUR Application of Legal Rules
1) The Law and the Facts
2) The Methods of Reasoning Employed in Reaching the Judgment
A) Syllogism
B) Argumentum a Contrario
C) Analogy
3) Burden of Proof (Onus Probendi; İspat Yükü)
4) Presumptions (Karineler; Belirgeler)
Statutory (Legal) Presumptions
Rebuttable Presumptions
Presumption of Innocence
Presumption of Good Faith
Presumption of Ownership
Presumption of Paternity
Irrebuttable (Conclusive) Presumptions
5) Interpretation of (Construction) Legal Rules
A) Methods of Interpretation (Construction)
a) Textual (Literal) Interpretation
b) Historical Interpretation (Legislative History)
c) Logical Interpretation
d) Teleological Interpretation
e) Free or Unrestricted Interpretation
f) Interpretation in the field of International Law
CHAPTER FIVE Sources of Law
CHAPTER SIX Legal Systems of the World
1) Introduction
2) A Brief Comparison Between “Civilian” and “Common” Law Systems
PART TWO Branches of Law
CHAPTER ONE Introduction
CHAPTER TWO Public Law - Private Law
CHAPTER THREE Public Law
1) The Fundamental Concept of Public Law: The State
A) Territory
B) Population
C) Sovereignty
2) Branches of Public Law
A) Constitutional Law (Anayasa Hukuku)
a) In General
b) The Rule of Law
c) Secularism
d) Respect for Human Rights
e) Democratic State
f) National State
g) Social State
h) Judicial Review
aa) Action for Annulment
bb) The Constitutional Objection (Incidental Proceedings)
cc) Constitutional Complaint
B) Administrative Law (İdare Hukuku)
a) In General
b) Administrative Organization of Turkey
aa) Central Administration
bb) Provincial and Municipal Administration
cc) Emergency Powers of the Administration
dd) Control of Public Administration
(i) In General
(ii) Judicial Review
C) Criminal Law (Ceza Hukuku)
a) In General
aa) Definition of Crimes
bb) Punishment Imposed After Conviction
b) Aims of Punishment
c) Criminal Cases Distinguished From Civil Cases
D) Law of Procedure (Usul Hukuku)
a) Civil Procedure
b) Criminal Procedure
c) Other Legal Procedures
E) Public International Law (Kamusal Uluslararası Hukuk)
F) Environmental Law (Çevre Hukuku)
CHAPTER FOUR Private Law
1) Introduction
2) Branches of Private Law
A) Civil Law
B) The Preliminary Chapter of the Civil Code
a) Law of Persons
b) Family Law
c) Law of Succession (Inheritence)
d) Law of Property
e) Law of Obligations
C) Commercial Law (Ticaret Hukuku)
a) Introduction
b) Commercial Partnerships
(i) General Partnership (Kollektif Şirket)
(ii) Limited (Commandité) Partnership (Komandit Şirket)
(iii) Joint Stock Company (Anonim Şirket)
(iv) Partnership with Limited Liability (Limited Şirket)
(v) Co-operative Partnership
c) Negotiable Instruments
D) Private International Law
a) Conflict of Laws
b) Law of Nationality
c) Law of Aliens
3) Branches of Law Where Public and Private Characteristics are Mixed
Labour Law
Index
Annexes
Annex 1: The Constitution of the Republic of Turkey (General Principles)
Annex 2: Turkish Civil Code; Preliminary Chapter
Annex 3: Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Annex 4: The French Constitution of 4 October 1958 (Preamble and Articles 1-4)
Annex 5: German Constitution (Basic Law) (Preamble and Articles 1-19)
Annex 6: Constitution of the Italian Republic (Articles 1-12)
Glossaries
English-Turkish Glossary
Turkish-English Glossary

I wish this wonderful text the success which it duly and truly deserves
Prof. Dr. Mark VILLIGER, Judge at the European Court of Human Rights

This book will give motivated students a good taste of the many varieties and forms of law, as well as a basic understanding of the functions, origins and foundations of legal systems, national and international.
John DARCY, Registry, European Court of Human Rights

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Rona Aybay

1935’te İstanbul’da doğdu. İstanbul Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi’ni 1959’da bitirdikten sonra aynı fakültede doktora yapan Aybay, 1964’te Columbia Üniversitesi’nde Mukayeseli Hukuk masterini tamamladı. 1973’te doçent, 1980’de de profesör oldu. ODTÜ’de Kamu Yönetimi bölümü başkanlığı, ODTÜ İdari İlimler Fakültesi Dekanlığı ve A.Ü. Siyasal Bilgiler Fakültesi (SBF) dekan yardımcılığında da bulunan Rona Aybay, 12 Eylül’den sonra YÖK’ün 1402 sayılı yasaya dayandırdığı bir kararla üniversiteden uzaklaştırıldı; 7 yıl sonra Danıştay kararıyla üniversiteye döndü. Avrupa Konseyi Irkçılık ve Hoşgörüsüzlükle Savaşım Komisyonu ile Bosna-Hersek’teki insan hakları ihlâllerini incelemekle görevli AGİT komisyonu üyeliklerinde bulunan Aybay, Bosna-Hersek İnsan Hakları Mahkemesi’nde, kurulduğu 1996 yılından, kapandığı 2003 yılına kadar Avrupa Konseyi tarafından seçilmiş uluslararası yargıç olarak görev yapmıştır. Aybay, Avrupa İnsan Hakları Mahkemesi’nin etkenliğini arttırmak üzere, Avrupa Konseyi’nce oluşturulan 11 üyeli “Akil Kişiler Grubu”na üye seçilmiştir. 2006-2011 yıllarında Türkiye Barolar Birliği İnsan Hakları Merkezi Başkanı olan Prof. Dr. Rona Aybay’ın Faşizm (Murat Sarıca ile birlikte, 1962), Karşılaştırmalı 1961 Anayasası (1963), Robert Owen (1970, 2005 ve 2012) ve Yurttaşlık (Vatandaşlık) Hukuku (1982, yeni basım 2006), Esra Dardağan ile birlikte Yasaların Uluslararası Düzeyde Çatışması (Kanunlar İhtilafı) (2005) ve Yabancılar Hukuku (2005, yeni basım 2007), Uluslararası Yargı (2013), Tarih ve Hukuk Açısından Konsolosluk (2009), İnsan Hakları Hukuku (2015), İnsan Hakları Evrensel Bildirisi (2016), Kamusal Uluslararası Hukuk (Elif Oral ile birlikte, 2016), Genel Kamu Hukuku (2017), An Introduction to Law (altıncı basım 2018) gibi kitapları vardır. Yazar, Yakın Doğu (KKTC) Üniversitesi’nde ders vermektedir.