Law 101：Everything You Need to Know About the American Legal System

Mostofusknowverylittleaboutthelaw.Wepickupbitsofinformationfromtelevisionandnewspaperaccountsofcurrentlegalbattles,andfrombestsellingnovelsandpopularmovies.Butthesepiecesdonotgiveusanaccurateorcompletepicture.InLaw101,JayM.Feinmanoffersadelightfullyclearintroductiontolaw,coveringthemainsubjectsfoundinthefirstyearoflawschoolandgivingusabasicunderstandingoftheAmericanlegaltradition.Readersareintroducedtoeveryaspectofthelegalsystem,fromconstitutionallawandthelitigationprocesstotortlaw,contractlaw,propertylaw,andcriminallaw.Feinmanilluminateseachdiscussionwithmanyintriguing,outrageous,andinfamouscases,fromthescaldingcoffeecasethatcostMcDonald'shalfamilliondollars,tothesensationalmurdertrialinVictorianLondonthatledtothelegaldefinitionofinsanity,totheepochaldecisioninMarburyv.MadisonthatgavetheSupremeCourtthepowertodeclarestateandfederallawsunconstitutional.Hebroadensthereader'slegalvocabulary,clarifyingthemeaningofeverythingfrom"dueprocess"and"equalprotection"inconstitutionallaw,tothedistinctionbetween"murder"and"manslaughter"incriminallaw.Perhapsmostimportant,welearnthatlawisvoluminousandcomplex,butaccessibletoeveryone.AnyonewhoenjoysCourtTVwillfindthisbookirresistible.Everyonewhowantsabettergraspofcurrentlegalissues,fromstudentscontemplatinglawschooltojournalistscoveringthelegislatureorthecourts,willfindhereawonderfulsourceofinformation--acomplete,clear,andcolorfulmapoftheAmericanlegalsystem.