American Courts And The Judicial Process

Featuring the insights of criminal justice scholars G. Larry Mays and Laura Woods Fidelie, American Courts and the Judicial Process, Second Edition, is ideal for undergraduate courts courses. It examines the many elements of the U.S. court system--its structures, functions, and key actors--addressing the major problems facing the system and considering potential solutions. This unique text also provides students with a practical perspective, discussing the contrast between the law and the rules as they are written and the ways in which they actually play out in the real world. The book is enhanced by "In the News" boxes that discuss contemporary events and "World View" boxes covering international courts and legal systems.

Known for shedding light on the link among the courts, public policy, and the political environment, Judicial Process in America provides a comprehensive overview of the American judiciary. In this Tenth Edition, authors Robert A. Carp, Ronald Stidham, Kenneth L. Manning, and Lisa M. Holmes examine the recent Supreme Court rulings on same-sex marriage and health care subsidies, the effect of three women justices on the Court’s patterns of decision, and the policy-making role of state tribunals. Original data on the decision-making behavior of the Obama trial judges—which are unavailable anywhere else—ensure this text’s position as a standard bearer in the field.

This text is a general introduction to American judicial process. The authors cover the major institutions, actors, and processes that comprise the U.S. legal system, viewed from a political science perspective. Grounding their presentation in empirical social science terms, the authors identify popular myths about the structure and processes of American law and courts and then contrast those myths with what really takes place. Three unique elements of this "myth versus reality" framework are incorporated into each of the topical chapters: 1) "Myth versus Reality" boxes that lay out the topics each chapter covers, using the myths about each topic contrasted with the corresponding realities. 2) "Pop Culture" boxes that provide students with popular examples from film, television, and music that tie-in to chapter topics and engage student interest. 3) "How Do We Know?" boxes that discuss the methods of social scientific inquiry and debunk common myths about the judiciary and legal system. Unlike other textbooks, American Judicial Process emphasizes how pop culture portrays—and often distorts—the judicial process and how social science research is brought to bear to provide an accurate picture of law and courts. In addition, a rich companion website will include PowerPoint lectures, suggested topics for papers and projects, a test bank of objective questions for use by instructors, and downloadable artwork from the book. Students will have access to annotated web links and videos, flash cards of key terms, and a glossary.

Widely used and widely respected, "America's Courts and the Criminal Justice System", Tenth Edition, offers a comprehensive explanation of the courts and the criminal justice system, presented in a streamlined, straightforward manner that appeals to instructors and students alike. Neubauer and Fradella's crisp, clear writing style, characterized by careful chunking of material into small sections within chapters, ensures that readers gain a firm handle on the material, while the text's innovative "courtroom workhouse" model, which focuses on the interrelationships among the judge, prosecutor, and defense attorney, brings the courtroom to life. This popular text is known for the way it gives students a true glimpse what it is like to work within the American criminal justice system, and the tenth edition is no exception. This modern edition offers coverage that reflects recent policy shaping and headline-making developments as well as incorporation of additional student-learning and review tools.

Known for shedding light on the link between the courts, public policy, and the political environment, Judicial Process in America offers students a clear but comprehensive overview of today’s American judiciary. Considering the courts from every level, the authors thoroughly cover judges, lawyers, litigants, and the variables at play in judicial decision-making. The highly anticipated Eleventh Edition offers updated coverage of recent Supreme Court rulings, including same-sex marriage and health care subsidies; the effect of three women justices on the Court′s patterns of decision; and the policy-making role of state tribunals as they consider an increasing number of state programs and policies. New to this Edition Discussions of recent judicial appointments take a critical look at how President Trump’s victory has set the stage for moving the ideological direction of the Supreme Court and of the lower federal judiciary in a distinctly more conservative direction. An analysis of recent controversial Supreme Court decisions help students to identify with the content by exploring issues such as, citizenship rights for immigrants, gay and lesbian rights, and freedom of speech and religion. Additional tables and graphs illustrate the patterns and trends that are occurring in today’s judicial process. New coverage of current topics help students see how the judicial process is applied. These topics include: the legality of Congress’ feeble attempts to "repeal and replace" the Affordable Care Act that affects millions of people; how to address the issues of immigration and deportations, including what to do about so-called Dreamers (children brought illegally to the United States by their parents without the children’s knowledge and who have spent much or all of their lives here); the status of abortion rights in America as more and more conservative states have sought to further restrict a woman’s right to such a procedure; the legal status of transgender persons in the armed forces; the degree to which severely gerrymandered legislative districts pass constitutional muster; and the great changes in the issue of same-sex marriage, both among average Americans and within the state and federal court systems (including all the ancillary issues such as whether same-sex couples can adopt children and obtain government fringe benefits).

Courtrooms are often lively places, and what occurs in them has a profound impact on the functioning of our democracy. The American Courts – A Procedural Approach offers readers a thorough understanding of the United States court system by exploring the procedural aspects of the law. The rules of both criminal and civil procedure, how they are applied, and their influence on decision-making in the courts are thoroughly examined. This text is ideal for undergraduate and introductory graduate criminal justice, legal studies, and government programs.