An Introduction to the American Legal System

The Second Edition of this successful text, An Introduction to the American Legal System, continues to offer an accessible, practical overview of the American Legal System. It introduces students to legal concepts, procedures, and principles while giving them a solid grounding in important areas of substantive law as well as in legal history.

Among the features that make this text such an excellent teaching tool:

• organization into four parts progresses logically from the origins of the law through legislation and procedure
  • Part I, Foundation of the Legal System, sets forth the fundamental concepts of the law and examines the historical development of the legal system
  • Part II, Substance of the Law, provides an overview of constitutional law, criminal law, torts, property, contracts, business, and family law
  • Part III, The Legal Process, surveys civil and criminal procedure
  • Part IV, Legislative and Administrative Developments in the Law, covers legislation and administrative law
• concise “Cases in Point” illustrate the applicability of the law to real world issues capture student interest
• questions in every chapter stimulate thought and classroom discussion
• a strong pedagogy includes learning objectives, chapter outlines, and a glossary

New to the Second Edition:

• expanded coverage of torts and property law
• increased focus on crimes and criminal procedure
• new and expanded discussion of the PATRIOT Act, including new amendments and results of recent litigation, as well as material on terrorism and immigration offenses
• updated cases include new, hot-button cases, such as Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, Crawford v. Washington on the admissibility of hearsay evidence in criminal cases
• an expanded section on battered woman syndrome and battered child syndrome
• Appendices on how to find the law and how to brief a case