Federal Jurisdiction (Introduction to Law Series) (Paperback)

by Erwin Chemerinsky (Author)
Key Phrases: pending state court proceedings, federal court abstention, adequate state grounds doctrine, United States, Eleventh Amendment, Justice Rehnquist (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Written by leading scholars, each title in the "Introduction to Law" series contains comprehensive treatment in black-letter style. Featuring footnotes citing to case law, statutory and other authorities, these volumes are ideal for in-depth research on particular issues and points of law.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1040 pages
• Publisher: Aspen Publishers; 4 edition (May 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735527180
• ISBN-13: 978-0735527188
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.9 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #634,252 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An invaluable resource for Federal Courts, June 27, 2004

By	Mark Greenbaum (South Orange, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

All of the thousands of law school study guides tout themselves as a means of breaking down the often complex material for students. Unfortunately, however, few are able to accomplish that goal, as the study guides themselves are often almost as large as the casebooks and do little to demystify law school courses. Chemerinsky's text is a refreshing change, as his Federal Jurisdiction hornbook helps you understand what is universally seen as the hardest course in law school, Federal Courts.

Federal Courts is such a difficult class because of the sheer complexity of the material. Sadly, many students, me included, are forced to use Hart and Wechsler's Federal Courts casebook which is itself very difficult to learn from (for reasons I discuss in my review of that book). Many casebooks try to go over too much: they spend time on general principles, certainly, but often get caught up in discussing every single case with some relevance to the course, with less focus on hammering down an understanding of the general principles. Hart and Wechsler is a prime example of this. Their casebook is difficult to digest because there is so much to learn. Their endnotes are filled to the brim with hundreds of cases, many of which are unnecessary to obtain a general understanding of the course. And let's be honest, while these cases might be vital for aspiring future clerks taking Federal Courts, not all of us are clerking for the D.C. Circuit anytime soon.

Chemerinsky's hornbook very adequately solves this problem. Of all of the study guides and hornbooks I have perused in law school, Chemerinsky's book helped guide me the most, in what is the hardest class I have taken. In well-defined sections, Chemerinsky breaks down the daunting Federal Courts in a manner that is easy to read and ultimately understand. Chemerinsky clearly as well as concisely lays out a framework for each of the key bedrock principles of Federal Courts and federal jurisdiction without getting caught up in going over every possible case with implications for federal courts. Chemerinsky does discuss the key exceptions as well as minor cases, but they flow very well with his general discussions of the base material of Federal Courts. His book, therefore, was extremely easy to absorb and helped me immensely in understanding Federal Courts.

I was often bewildered and perplexed by the material discussed in Hart and Wechsler and in class lectures. Chemerinsky's book tore down much of my confusion by helping me focus on the key concepts of Federal Courts, and not getting lost in the forest of cases delineated by the casebook and by my professor. I strongly recommend that any student taking Federal Courts buy this book. It is invaluable to learning the course. You would be doing yourself a disservice if you did not take a look at Chemerinsky.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every law student should have a copy., February 26, 2005

By	M. Bring "rageon" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a very average law student, and my federal courts class was stacked with the top 2nd and 3rd year students in my school. Despite this, I got the highest grade in the class. The reason...this book.

Chemerinsky is able to take a complicated topic that takes 50 pages of a textbook to explain, and summarize it in a single paragraph.

This single most impressive book I have encountered in 3 years of law school. And if you plan to practice in the federal court system, this book is essential. Buy it.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helping you through Fed. Courts, November 1, 2002

By	J. Smith "nikenlg" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Federal Jurisdiction (Paperback)

This book was a great help to me getting through Federal Courts in addition to my textbook. As any law student can tell you, Federal Courts or Federal Jurisdiction probably outranks civil procedure as the most dreaded class at law school. I am a firm believer in the importance of the subject and this book was invaluable to me in class and in work. If you have a legal problem that will involve federal litigation, this book is a must have. It makes a subject that I often believe is as clear as reading tea leaves a little easier.