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Binding: HardcoverDewey Decimal Number: 349.73 EAN: 9780195179576 Edition: 2 ISBN: 0195179579 Label: Oxford University Press, USA Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 384 Publication Date: August 01, 2006 Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA Studio: Oxford University Press, USA Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: Thanks to TV cop shows, most Americans can probably recite the Miranda warnings, but do they know when the warnings do--and do not--apply? Tort reformers cite the $2.7 million in punitive damages a jury awarded a little old lady in Albuquerque when the cup of coffee she had set between her legs spilled and scalded her. These crusaders against "excessive" damage awards do not usually note that the trial judge reduced the award to $480,000, or that the coffee was 20 degrees hotter than competitors' coffee. The law is all around. People continually invoke their rights, and every year millions of Americans are involved in formal legal proceedings. Yet most people are ignorant of even the basic concepts and organizing principles of U.S. law. Into the breach comes Jay Feinman's engrossing book Law 101: Everything You Need to Know About the American Legal System. Akin to a crash course in the first year of law school, Law 101 is a clearly written, eminently readable guide to the tenets of our legal system. It is structured around basic questions such as "If a contract is unfair, can a court refuse to enforce it?" and replete with clarifying examples--real and hypothetical. In explaining battery, Feinman writes: "If someone consents to a certain bodily invasion, he does not necessarily consent to any bodily invasion, however. When Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield are in a boxing match, Holyfield has consented to Tyson punching him in the nose ... but he has not consented to Tyson biting off a piece of his ear." Much clearer. Law 101 won't instruct you on how to write your will or get divorced, but it will educate you at a more systematic level. It is also a great read. --J.R. Product Description: The best-selling first edition of Law 101 provided readers with a vividly written and indispensable portrait of our nation's legal system. Now, in this revised edition, Jay M. Feinman offers an updated survey of American law, spiced with new anecdotes and cases, and incorporating fresh material on topics ranging from the President's war powers, to intellectual property, standard form contracts, and eminent domain. Here is an exceptionally clear introduction to law, covering the main subjects found in the first year of law school, giving us a basic understanding of how it all works. Readers are introduced to every aspect of the legal system, from constitutional law and the litigation process to tort law, contract law, property law, and criminal law. Feinman illuminates each discussion with many intriguing, outrageous, and infamous cases, from the scalding coffee case that cost McDonald's half a million dollars, to the sensational murder trial in Victorian London that led to the legal definition of insanity, to the epochal decision in Marbury v. Madison that gave the Supreme Court the power to declare state and federal laws unconstitutional. He broadens the reader's legal vocabulary, clarifying the meaning of everything from "due process" and "equal protection" in constitutional law, to the distinction between "murder" and "manslaughter" in criminal law. Perhaps most important, we learn that though the law is voluminous and complex, it is accessible to all. Everyone who wants a better grasp of current legal issues--from students contemplating law school, to journalists covering the legislature or the courts, to fans of Court TV--will find here a wonderful source of information: a complete, clear, and colorful map of the American legal system. "An entertaining and informative introduction to the law.... For journalists, those interested in the law, and fans of television law dramas, this book should be required reading."--Library Journal Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Law student 101As a first year law student, I purchased this book before the start of my semester hoping to have a little insight into what was about to come. The book is basic, informative and I find myself referring to it when we cover some less than crystal-clear topics in class. A great purchase for anyone even the least bit interested in how our legal sytem (should) work! Rating: - Great general overviewThis book is a great general overview of our legal system, and law in general. He covers all aspects of law in an easy to read format - this book should be useful for anyone considering a law degree. Rating: - Good, but tough read.Law 101 is nothing if not informative about our legal system and its roots in English Common Law, but it despite the author's best efforts, it reads like a reference book. The average person on the street would probably not be able to absorb much, despite what the blurbs on the jacket say, but it may be a good primer for potential law students. Rating:  - Decent Overall Review of LawThe book basically does what it claims it's going to do. It gives you a clear and relatively simple overview of the American legal system. Furthermore, it constantly uses Supreme Court cases as a way of showing how certain laws were created and constantly changed over time as standards changed. The writer doesn't get preachy or starts to discuss complicated theories and philosophies about law. He simply educates the reader on practical matters of our legal system. Some examples include ... Read More Rating: - excellent introduction to lawFor those with an interest in learning what the law is all about, this is a really great place to start. As others have mentioned, it will be an excellent choice for those who are contemplating law school or paralegal studies. The author does a great job of condensing important information on a variety of different areas within the law, and making them interesting by putting the material into context with everyday life. Since the author wants to make the point that the law is something that can be accessible ... Read More |
