Chronicles the history of American law from its beginnings in the colonies to the end of the twentieth century, highlighting the achievements and failures of the American legal system.

"In this fifth edition of his bestselling classic, Jay Feinman provides an authoritative and up-to-date overview of the American legal system. The book covers all the main subjects taught in the first year of law school, and discusses every facet of the American legal tradition, including constitutional law, the litigation process, and criminal, property, and contracts law. Above all, Feinman reveals to readers of all kinds that despite its complexities...