Steven M. Shavell

Publications

• On the Law of the Household: The Principles Used by Parents in Disciplining Their Children
  55 J. LEGAL STUD. (2026) · Journal of Legal Studies · 2026
• On the Redesign of Accident Liability for the World of Autonomous Vehicles
  49 J. LEGAL STUD. (2020) · Journal of Legal Studies · 2020

• A Fundamental Enforcement Cost Advantage of the Negligence Rule over Regulation
  42 J. LEGAL STUD. (2013) · Journal of Legal Studies · 2013
• When Is Compliance with the Law Socially Desirable?
  41 J. LEGAL STUD. (2012) · Journal of Legal Studies · 2012
• Corrective Taxation versus Liability as a Solution to the Problem of Harmful Externalities
  54 J. L. & ECON. (2011) · Journal of Law and Economics · 2011
• Should BP Be Liable for Economic Losses Due to the Moratorium on Oil Drilling Imposed After the "Deepwater Horizon" Accident?
  64 VAND. L. REV. 1993 (2011) · Vanderbilt Law Review · 2011
• Eminent Domain versus Government Purchase of Land Given Imperfect Information about Owners' Valuations
  53 J. L. & ECON. (2010) · Journal of Law and Economics · 2010
• On the Design of the Appeals Process: The Optimal Use of Discretionary Review versus Direct Appeal
  39 J. LEGAL STUD. (2010) · Journal of Legal Studies · 2010

• Why Breach of Contract May Not Be Immoral Given the Incompleteness of Contracts
  107 MICH. L. REV. 1569 (2009) · Michigan Law Review · 2009
• On Optimal Legal Change, Past Behavior, and Grandfathering
  37 J. LEGAL STUD. (2008) · Journal of Legal Studies · 2008
• Contractual Holdup and Legal Intervention
  36 J. LEGAL STUD. (2007) · Journal of Legal Studies · 2007
• The Appeals Process and Adjudicator Incentives
  35 J. LEGAL STUD. (2006) · Journal of Legal Studies · 2006
• Fairness versus Welfare: Notes on the Pareto Principle, Preferences, and Distributive Justice
  32 J. LEGAL STUD. (2003) · Journal of Legal Studies · 2003
• Rewards versus Intellectual Property Rights
  44 J. L. & ECON. (2001) · Journal of Law and Economics · 2001
• Should Legal Rules Favor the Poor? Clarifying the Role of Legal Rules and the Income Tax in Redistributing Income
  29 J. LEGAL STUD. (2000) · Journal of Legal Studies · 2000
• Notions of Fairness Versus the Pareto Principle: On the Role of Logical Consistency
  110 YALE L.J. 237 (2000) · Yale Law Journal · 2000

• On the Disutility and Discounting of Imprisonment and the Theory of Deterrence
  28 J. LEGAL STUD. (1999) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1999
• The Fundamental Divergence between the Private and the Social Motive to Use the Legal System
  26 J. LEGAL STUD. (1997) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1997
• Accuracy in the Assessment of Damages
  39 J. L. & ECON. (1996) · Journal of Law and Economics · 1996
• Any Frequency of Plaintiff Victory at Trial Is Possible
  25 J. LEGAL STUD. (1996) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1996
• Alternative Dispute Resolution: An Economic Analysis
  24 J. LEGAL STUD. (1995) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1995
• The Appeals Process as a Means of Error Correction
  24 J. LEGAL STUD. (1995) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1995
• Do Liability Rules Facilitate Bargaining? A Reply to Ayres and Talley
  105 YALE L.J. 221 (1995) · Yale Law Journal · 1995
• Why the Legal System Is Less Efficient than the Income Tax in Redistributing Income
  23 J. LEGAL STUD. (1994) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1994
• Accuracy in the Determination of Liability
  37 J. L. & ECON. (1994) · Journal of Law and Economics · 1994
• Suit versus Settlement When Parties Seek Nonmonetary Judgments
  22 J. LEGAL STUD. (1993) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1993
• The Optimal Structure of Law Enforcement
  36 J. L. & ECON. (1993) · Journal of Law and Economics · 1993
• Economic Analysis of Threats and Their Illegality: Blackmail, Extortion, and Robbery
  141 U. PENN. L. REV. 1877 (1993) · University of Pennsylvania Law Review · 1993
• Liability and the Incentive to Obtain Information about Risk
  21 J. LEGAL STUD. (1992) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1992
• Enforcement Costs and the Optimal Magnitude and Probability of Fines
  35 J. L. & ECON. (1992) · Journal of Law and Economics · 1992
• An Economic Analysis of Altruism and Deferred Gifts
  20 J. LEGAL STUD. (1991) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1991
• Deterrence and the Punishment of Attempts
  19 J. LEGAL STUD. (1990) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1990

• Legal Advice about Contemplated Acts: The Decision to Obtain Advice, Its Social Desirability, and Protection of Confidentiality
  17 J. LEGAL STUD. (1988) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1988
• Uncertainty over Causation and the Determination of Civil Liability
  28 J. L. & ECON. (1985) · Journal of Law and Economics · 1985
• Liability for Harm versus Regulation of Safety
  13 J. LEGAL STUD. (1984) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1984
• Torts in Which Victim and Injurer Act Sequentially
  26 J. L. & ECON. (1983) · Journal of Law and Economics · 1983
• The Social versus the Private Incentive to Bring Suit in a Costly Legal System
  11 J. LEGAL STUD. (1982) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1982
• Suit, Settlement, and Trial: A Theoretical Analysis under Alternative Methods for the Allocation of Legal Costs
  11 J. LEGAL STUD. (1982) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1982
• An Analysis of Causation and the Scope of Liability in the Law of Torts
  9 J. LEGAL STUD. (1980) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1980
• Strict Liability versus Negligence
  9 J. LEGAL STUD. (1980) · Journal of Legal Studies · 1980