The U.S. Legal System

Containing 256 brief topical essays, this encyclopedic reference explains legal terminology, procedures, and structures relevant to the U.S. legal system. Each entry contains a short sentence-long definition, a fuller explanation of the place of the topic within U.S. law, and suggested readings. The entries are not cross referenced within their bodies, but a list of "see also" terms is presented for each. A few representative examples of entries include attorney confidentiality, bankruptcy, capital punishment, defendant self- representation, injunctions, judicial review, reasonable doubt, privilege against self-incrimination, and unethical conduct of attorneys. Appendices list legal assistance organizations, state bar associations, and other legal resources. Also included are categorized, court case, and subject indices. Annotation c2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)