Abstract

This paper aims to explore the links, similarities, and differences between legal and literary texts, with particular reference to the concepts of canon and canonisation. Whilst the terms ‘canon’ and ‘canonisation’ are most often associated with sacred texts, literary texts, or music, this paper encourages the reader to move away from these traditional meanings and explore how the term’s scope can be extended to include legal texts and the mechanisms related to them. The present study considers whether legal texts undergo a comparable process of canonisation to that of literary texts, and how this approach might contribute to a more profound understanding of legal texts. This analysis aims to explore whether legal texts possess a particular characteristic that might explain why the concept of canon has not become a prominent subject of inquiry within legal scholarship.