Customer Reviews

With Justice for All? The Nature of the American Legal System

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Prior to entering law school, I began searching for a layperson's primer on the law. I specifically wanted a comprehensive and complete overview of the American legal system devoid of legalese. Two weeks of effort yielded less than spectacular results so I contacted Professor Fowler (B.A. Dartmouth, M.A. University of Virginia, J.D. Harvard Law School). He assured me "With Justice for All?" fit the bill.

It is indeed a thorough work. Written primarily as an introduction to the law for undergraduates, Professor Fowler's approach seamlessly blends the various aspects of the legal system with practical examples, personal experiences, and common sense application. Topics include civil procedure, criminal procedure, the jury, attorneys, the police, the judiciary, and other subjects of immediate relevance. Of particular interest is the glossary which provides plain english definitions for a wide range of legal terminology.

I highly recommend "With Justice for All?" to all pre-law undergraduates, prospective law school students, and all laypersons wishing to develop a deeper knowledge of our legal system. Professor Fowler provides a solid foundation for understanding both the complexities of the law and the application of its precepts.

Of all the legal textbooks I've had to read in the past 2 years, this one by Fowler is my least favorite. Most annoying are the voluminous footnotes, which appear on every page and sometimes taking up 1/4 to 1/2 of the page. If an author needs to quote something, then they should just quote and parenthetically cite. Citations and notes are far better relegated to the end of a chapter. Otherwise, the extraneous text on every page is merely distracting and is not conducive to study.

The book is also written in a "chatty" fashion, sounding more like a lecture than a textbook. There are many anecdotes and other bits of information that may be interesting, but wander from the point of the chapter.

I would consider this a book to read at leisure by anyone interested in law, but in my opinion it is not suitable for use as a primary textbook.