The American Legal System: Perspectives, Politics, Processes, and Policies / Edition 2

by Albert P. Melone, Allan Karnes

Overview

Firmly anchored in social science concepts, the second edition of The American Legal System demonstrates the relationships among private law, the business legal environment, and public law issues, as well as related subjects of interest. This fifteen-chapter book is divided into three parts. Part I places the legal system in a political perspective centering on the origins of the law, schools of jurisprudence, branches and functions of law, legitimacy of law, how the judiciary functions in the federal system of government, and judicial interpretation and decision making. Part II contrasts legal processes: civil suits for money damages, criminal processes, equity justice, administrative processes, and alternative dispute resolution. Part III centers on the legal norms or rules governing both civil and criminal conduct, property law, family law, contract law, and government regulation of business.

Throughout, the text features edited court opinions—many new to this edition—illustrating lively and thought-provoking controversies that are certain to spark student interest. Among the many compelling issues addressed are the legal and constitutional controversies surrounding the Bush Administration's "War on Terror," and the socially explosive developments concerning same-sex marriage. In addition, each chapter includes at least three comparative notes showing how other legal cultures in different nation-states treat legal matters. A wealth of pedagogical features—chapter-opening objectives; key terms, names, and concepts; a glossary, discussion questions, and appendices—are included to aid student comprehension. The authors have prepared an Instructor's Manual and Test Bank to facilitate the book's use in the classroom.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742547537
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	12/24/2007
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	720
Product dimensions:	7.43(w) x 10.43(h) x 1.93(d)

About the Author

Albert P. Melone is professor emeritus of political science at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Allan Karnes is the KPMG Tax Research Professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Table of Contents

Part 1 The Legal System in Perspective
Chapter 2 Law in Perspective
Chapter 3 Legitimacy and the Limits of Authority
Chapter 4 The Judiciary and the Federal System
Chapter 5 Judicial Interpretation and Decision-Making
Part 6 Contrasting Legal Processes
Chapter 7 Civil Suits for Money Damages
Chapter 8 Equity Processes
Chapter 9 Criminal Processes
Chapter 10 Administrative Processes
Chapter 11 Alternative Dispute Resolution
Part 12 Legal Norms: Law Governing Conduct, Property, and Relations among Individuals, and Business Regulation
Chapter 13 Torts
Chapter 14 Property
Chapter 15 Family Law
Chapter 16 Criminal Law
Chapter 17 Contracts
Chapter 18 Government Regulation of Business
Part 19 Appendices
Chapter 20 Appendix I: Constitution of the United States
Chapter 21 Appendix II: Excerpts from ALI's Model Penal Code and Article 3 of the Uniform Commercial Code
Chapter 22 Appendix III: Guide to Legal Citations
23 Appendix IV: Guide to Internet Sites
Part 24 Glossary of Selected Legal and Foreign Language Terms

Editorial Reviews

This introduction to the American legal order sets a new standard of excellence in the field. It views the legal order with a wide-angle lens, covering all major phases of American public and private law within the framework of our constitutional and political system. Its clear goals and lucid prose, not to mention its lively discussion questions, simply add to its luster as an effective–and student-friendly–teaching tool.

Donald P. Kommers

An accessible and comprehensive introduction to the American legal system that is useful for gateway courses and, indeed, anyone who wishes to understand American law.

Lawrence B. Radine

An accessible and comprehensive introduction to the American legal system that is useful for gateway courses and, indeed, anyone who wishes to understand American law.--Lawrence B. Radine, University of Michigan at Dearborn

This introduction to the American legal order sets a new standard of excellence in the field. It views the legal order with a wide-angle lens, covering all major phases of American public and private law within the framework of our constitutional and political system. Its clear goals and lucid prose, not to mention its lively discussion questions, simply add to its luster as an effective-and student-friendly-teaching tool.--Donald P. Kommers, University of Notre Dame

From the Publisher