Customer Reviews

Law 101: Everything You Need to Know about the American Legal System

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For 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 and understood by all, the writing is in a user-friendly and very readable style. This book is worthwhile and enjoyable reading for anyone with even the slightest interest in American law.

As 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!

The 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 how a typical case reaches the courtroom, the different kind of jobs attorneys and lawyers have, and how to write a legitimate will that will be recognized by law.

Overall, it's a great book for anyone that might be interested in Law School in the future or just someone that wants to be knowledgeable about the basic concepts of law.

Recently finished this book and I highly commend the author for penning the improbable: a book about law that is incredibly lucid, engaging, and even entertaining. I found myself fully absorbed every time I picked it up. The writing is excellent and the organization clear. I've come to believe over the years that very few books actually need to be written--Law 101 is one of them.

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.

For what it worth, the book is intended for classroom study. It is dry, dense, and concise with heavy emphasis on the history of law and its role in society. The author has relied on few anecdotes to demonstrate how the law is applicable to dispute resolution. Those linger along many chapters and require the reader to follow closely each anecdote in order to discern the applicability of the law.

The book is of little help as an immediate reference in practical presentation in litigation since it targets students of law in their introduction to development of modern legal system. It is however a great read since it is devoid of distracting details, forms, legal procedures, or local court rules. Its emphasis on concepts of law renders it useful in probing the minds of the legal profession.

Its simple table of contents and index also facilitate its utility. In addition to its dense paragraphs and meager white pacing, it has a unique feature of addressing each subchapter with an inquiry title. That feature overcomes the boredom of reading lengthy text by virtue of starting with inquiry and attempting to reveal its intrigue through a logical sequence of paragraphs.

The author shows no disparate need to cram his book with unnecessary tables of irrelevant information or references and relied heavily on his shrewd understanding of the law and history to present the reader with a transparent synopsis on the study of law.

Mohamed F. El-Hewie
Author of
Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training

I enjoyed this book. It gives a great birds eye view and understanding of the US legal system; how it is and why it is that way! I had thought about studying law... but decided there were better ways for me to earn a living, so I used this book to quench my thirst for info, and I still have some facts to bring into discussions if I ever need too.

This is one of the best books that I've found on all the basics of how the legal system works. It breaks the information down into some of the system's most basic concepts. This greatly helps the reader understand how the entire court system works. That includes lawyers, police, judge and jury. It completely covers all the intricate details of the legal system and provides a working understanding for readers.

This book is perhaps the best of the intro to law books out there. I haven't read very many of those but I've skimmed through a number of them. So take my claim for what it's worth. I would also recommend this to soon to be 1L's.

This should be required reading for all students at a High School level and beyond.