Gordon Morris Bakken is a professor of history at California State University, Fullerton. His books include The Development of Law on the Rocky Mountain Frontier, 1850-1912 (1983), and his articles have appeared in the American Journal of Legal History and other publications.

"Bakken has made good use of the manuscript collections of unknown but active and interesting lawyers whose careers helped to make law accessible to individuals in a highly dynamic society."—The American Journal of Legal History "The study makes a valuable contribution by applying analytical criminal justice concepts to an important but frequently unnoticed portion of the United States."—The American Academy of Political and Social Science "Anyone interested in California history or the place of lawyers in it will find Bakken's book a lively and well-documented work that hints that many of the legal issues now debated in California can be traced to the state's frontier days."—San Francisco Daily Journal

Gordon Morris Bakken is a professor of history at California State University, Fullerton. His books include The Development of Law on the Rocky Mountain Frontier, 1850-1912 (1983), and his articles have appeared in the American Journal of Legal History and other publications.

"Bakken has made good use of the manuscript collections of unknown but active and interesting lawyers whose careers helped to make law accessible to individuals in a highly dynamic society."—The American Journal of Legal History "The study makes a valuable contribution by applying analytical criminal justice concepts to an important but frequently unnoticed portion of the United States."—The American Academy of Political and Social Science "Anyone interested in California history or the place of lawyers in it will find Bakken's book a lively and well-documented work that hints that many of the legal issues now debated in California can be traced to the state's frontier days."—San Francisco Daily Journal