American Law: An Invaluable Guide to the Many Faces of the Law, and How It Affects Our Daily Lives

Lawrence Friedman now offers a revised and updated edition of his comprehensive introduction to the American legal system. Rich in anecdote and historical detail, this invaluable book makes the bewildering complexity of American law understandable to us all. It explains how laws are made, from the United States Constitution to the small-town zoning board, and how law is administered by courts and agencies at every level of government. It describes the tremendous variety of law: antitrust law, family law, torts (the law of accidents), criminal justice, rules for packaging medicine and food. And it brilliantly explores important trends to reveal the way changes in law mirror, and sometimes guide, changes in society.