Introduction to American Law

Catalog description

An introduction to the American legal system and legal theories, doctrines and procedures by which the civil and criminal justice systems operate. Special attention will be paid to the structure of and procedures for resolving civil disputes and criminal charges, the work of lawyers, judges and juries, the development of common law and the significance of case precedent, and how to read appellate court decisions to extract and apply rules of law. The analysis of judicial branch doctrines and rules of law as public policy from the perspective of the social sciences will also be emphasized.