American Law: An Introduction

By Lawrence M. Friedman, Grant M Hayden, Grant M. Hayden

Book Overview

Thousands of rules affect our work and play, what we buy, and how we get along with our neighbors. This book meets the need of students and general readers alike for a comprehensive introduction to the American legal system. It explains how laws are made and brilliantly explores the way changes in law mirror, and sometimes guide, changes in society . 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.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393972739
• ISBN13: 9780393972733
• Release Date: March 1998
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 5.09 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Solid

Good Intro to Am Law. Straight forward. I'm taking a class from the teacher right now and he's pretty good.

An excellent introduction to the American legal system

If you want a reasonably good understanding of the what, how, and why of the American legal system without having to go to law and grad school, this is the book for you. Friedman, in just over 300 pages of text, manages to cover the entire field of law in America, from legislation through administration to judgment, from the workings of the local sewer district to the trappings of the Supreme Court.Friedman is a renowned legal scholar, but this should not scare away the legal neophyte. He has done a remarkable thing for a renowned scholar to do -- he has written an introduction that truly is an introduction! The writing is clear, straightforward, and devoid of all but the most essential legal jargon, and, when the jargon is unavoidable, it is clearly explained. Further, the book is notable for its lack of endless recitation of court decisions. While Friedman disscusses most of the important cases, he does not expect the reader to slog through them. And he is excellent at connecting the cases -- and the law in general -- to real-life events easily within the experience of ordinary people.If you are already familiar with American law you will probably learn nothing new here. It is, nevertheless, a good, refreshing read. Finally, for those of us that teach in this area, particularly in undergraduate education, this is an excellent teaching book.