Despite all of the imperfections present throughout Ancient Mesopotamian legislation, these laws of the ancient world are a priceless treasure influencing the history of judicial science. In ancient Mesopotamia, a written set of laws adopted by a ruler or his kingdom was quickly established as the foundational governing document. The emergence of royal decrees came about due to the special conditions surrounding the establishment and development of multiple federations due to war, coups, conquests, the formation of territorial and political treaties, the rise or fall in power of a particular ruler, or the rising supremacy of one ethnic group or another. Contents: Chapter 1. Sources of Law: Mesopotamia Chapter 2. Code of Ur-Nammu (2100-2050 BC) Chapter 3. Code of Lipit-Ishtar (c.1870-1860 BC) Chapter 4. Code of Hammurabi Chapter 5. Judicial Precedent: The murder case in Nippur