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.

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.

• Part 1 The Legal System in PerspectiveChapter 2 Law in PerspectiveChapter 3 Legitimacy and the Limits of AuthorityChapter 4 The Judiciary and the Federal SystemChapter 5 Judicial Interpretation and Decision-MakingPart 6 Contrasting Legal ProcessesChapter 7 Civil Suits for Money DamagesChapter 8 Equity ProcessesChapter 9 Criminal ProcessesChapter 10 Administrative ProcessesChapter 11 Alternative Dispute ResolutionPart 12 Legal Norms: Law Governing Conduct, Property, and Relations among Individuals, and Business RegulationChapter 13 TortsChapter 14 PropertyChapter 15 Family LawChapter 16 Criminal LawChapter 17 ContractsChapter 18 Government Regulation of BusinessPart 19 AppendicesChapter 20 Appendix I: Constitution of the United StatesChapter 21 Appendix II: Excerpts from ALI's Model Penal Code and Article 3 of the Uniform Commercial CodeChapter 22 Appendix III: Guide to Legal Citations23 Appendix IV: Guide to Internet SitesPart 24 Glossary of Selected Legal and Foreign Language Terms

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.

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.

• Part 1 The Legal System in PerspectiveChapter 2 Law in PerspectiveChapter 3 Legitimacy and the Limits of AuthorityChapter 4 The Judiciary and the Federal SystemChapter 5 Judicial Interpretation and Decision-MakingPart 6 Contrasting Legal ProcessesChapter 7 Civil Suits for Money DamagesChapter 8 Equity ProcessesChapter 9 Criminal ProcessesChapter 10 Administrative ProcessesChapter 11 Alternative Dispute ResolutionPart 12 Legal Norms: Law Governing Conduct, Property, and Relations among Individuals, and Business RegulationChapter 13 TortsChapter 14 PropertyChapter 15 Family LawChapter 16 Criminal LawChapter 17 ContractsChapter 18 Government Regulation of BusinessPart 19 AppendicesChapter 20 Appendix I: Constitution of the United StatesChapter 21 Appendix II: Excerpts from ALI's Model Penal Code and Article 3 of the Uniform Commercial CodeChapter 22 Appendix III: Guide to Legal Citations23 Appendix IV: Guide to Internet SitesPart 24 Glossary of Selected Legal and Foreign Language Terms

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.

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.

• Part 1 The Legal System in PerspectiveChapter 2 Law in PerspectiveChapter 3 Legitimacy and the Limits of AuthorityChapter 4 The Judiciary and the Federal SystemChapter 5 Judicial Interpretation and Decision-MakingPart 6 Contrasting Legal ProcessesChapter 7 Civil Suits for Money DamagesChapter 8 Equity ProcessesChapter 9 Criminal ProcessesChapter 10 Administrative ProcessesChapter 11 Alternative Dispute ResolutionPart 12 Legal Norms: Law Governing Conduct, Property, and Relations among Individuals, and Business RegulationChapter 13 TortsChapter 14 PropertyChapter 15 Family LawChapter 16 Criminal LawChapter 17 ContractsChapter 18 Government Regulation of BusinessPart 19 AppendicesChapter 20 Appendix I: Constitution of the United StatesChapter 21 Appendix II: Excerpts from ALI's Model Penal Code and Article 3 of the Uniform Commercial CodeChapter 22 Appendix III: Guide to Legal Citations23 Appendix IV: Guide to Internet SitesPart 24 Glossary of Selected Legal and Foreign Language Terms