Introduction to United States Law

Research Basics #10 - Dorraine Zief Law Library Handout

New J.D. students, new LL.M. students, and non-law students interested in law might consult some of the sources listed below for general background and context for their studies. For more help, speak to a reference librarian or call 415-422-6773.

General Introductions

Ansay, Tugrul & Clark, David Scott, eds., Introduction to the Law of the United States, 2d ed. (The Hague [The Netherlands]; New York: Kluwer Law International, 2002)
KF 385 .I58 2002 Law Stacks

Bonfield, Lloyd, American Law and the American Legal System in a Nutshell (St. Paul, MN: Thomson/West, c2006)
KF 386 .B59 2006 Law Open Reserve

Burnham, William, Introduction to the Law and Legal System of the United States, 4th ed. (St. Paul, MN: West Group, c2007)
KF 386 .B87 2007 Law Stacks

Byrd, B. Sharon, Introduction to Anglo-American Law & Language, 2d ed. (Munchen: C.H. Beck; Wien: Manz: Bern: Stampfli, 2001)
K 213 .B97 2001 Law Stacks

Cappalli, Richard B., The American Common Law Method (Irvington-on Hudson, N.Y.: Transnational Publishers, c1997)
KF 394 .C37 1997 Law Stacks

D'Amato, Anthony A., Introduction to Law and Legal Thinking (Irvington-on-Hudson, N.Y.: Transnational Publishers, [1996?])
KF 380 .D353 1996 Law Stacks

Farnsworth, E. Allan, An Introduction to the Legal System of the United States, 3d ed. (London; New York: Oceana Publications, 1996)
KF 387.F3 1996 Law Stacks

Feinman, Jay M., Law 101, 2d ed. (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2006)
KF387 .F45 2006 Law Open Reserve

Fine, Toni M., American Legal Systems: a Resource and Reference Guide (Cincinnati: Anderson Pub. Co., c1997)
KF 240 .F56 1997 Law Open Reserve

Friedman, Lawrence Meir, American Law: an Introduction, 2d ed. (New York: Norton, c1998)
KF 387 .F74 1998 Law Stacks

Hay, Peter, Law of the United States: An Overview (Munich: Verlag C.H. Beck, 2002)
KF 385 .H394 2002 Law Stacks

Hay, Peter, An Introduction to U.S. Law, 2d ed. (Salem, NH: Butterworth Legal Publishers, c1991)
KF 385 .H3 1991 Law Stacks

Johns, Margaret Z. & Perschbacher, Rex R., The United States Legal System: An Introduction (Durham, N.C.: Carolina Academic Press, c2002)
KF 386 .J64 2002 Law Stacks

Morrison, Alan B., ed., Fundamentals of American Law (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996)
KF 385 .F86 1996 Law Stacks

Van Dervort, Thomas R., Equal Justice under the Law: an Introduction to American Law and the Legal System (Minneapolis/St. Paul: West Pub. Co., c1994)
KF 385 .V36 1994 Law Stacks

The Study of Law

See the Zief Law Library research guide Succeeding in Law School [PDF] for books on studying law and coping with law school in general.

Legal English

Brostoff, Teresa & Sinsheimer, Ann, Legal English: an Introduction to the Legal Language and Culture of the United States, 2d ed. (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana Publications, c2003)
KF 272 .B76 2003 Law Stacks

Daigneault, Edward W., Drafting International Agreements in Legal English (Wien: Manz; 2005)
K 94 .D35 2005 Law Stacks

Lee, Debra S., Hall, Charles & Hurley, Marsha, American Legal English: Using Language in Legal Contexts (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, c1999)
KF 250 .L3915 1999 Law Stacks

Wojcik, Mark E., Introduction to Legal English: An Introduction to Legal Terminology, Reasoning, and Writing in Plain English, 2d ed. (Washington, D. C.: International Law Institute, 2001)
KF 250 .W65 2001 Law Stacks

Courts and Judicial Process

Carp, Robert A., Stidham, Ronald & Manning, Kenneth L., Judicial Process in America, 7th ed. (Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, c2007)
KF 8700 .C37 2007 Law Stacks

Meador, Daniel John., American Courts, 2d ed. (St. Paul, Minn.: West Group, 2000)
KF 8700 .M42 2000 Law Stacks

Miller, William S., A Primer on American Courts (New York: Pearson Longman, c2005)
KF 8720 .M55 2005 Law Stacks

Neubauer, David W., Judicial Process: Law, Courts, and Politics in the United States, 2d ed. (Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, c1997)
KF 8719 .N48 1997 Law Stacks

Civil Procedure

Kane, Mary Kay., Civil Procedure in a Nutshell, 6th ed. (St. Paul, MN: Thomson⁄West, c2007)
KF 8841 .K36 2007 Law Open Reserve

Subrin, Stephen, & Woo, Margaret Y. K., Litigating in America: Civil Procedure in Context (New York: Aspen Publishers, c2006)
KF 8840 .S83 2006 Law Open Reserve

Criminal Law and Procedure

LaFave, Wayne R., Criminal Law, 4th ed. (St. Paul, MN: Thomson⁄West, c2003)
KF 9219 .L38 2000 Law Open Reserve

LaFave, Wayne R.; Israel, Jerold H. & King, Nancy J., Criminal Procedure, 4th ed. (St. Paul, MN: Thomson⁄West, 2004)
KF 9619 .L342 2004 Law Open Reserve

United States Government & Administrative Law

Magruder, Frank Abbott & McClenaghan, William A., Magruder's American Government (Needham, MA: Prentice Hall, 2007). Useful despite being intended for secondary-school students.
JK 274 .M34 Law Stacks

Strauss, Peter L., Administrative Justice in the United States, 2d ed. (Durham, N.C.: Carolina Academic Press, c2002)
KF 5402 .S76 2002 Law Stacks

Federal Legislative Process

Johnson, Charles W., How Our Laws Are Made, rev. and updated. (Washington: U.S. G.P.O., 2003)
Available on the web at http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html.

Keefe, William J. & Ogul, Morris S., The American Legislative Process: Congress and the States, 10th ed. (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, c2001)
KF 4945 .K44 2001 Law Stacks

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