Before the Law: An Introduction to the Legal Process

This diverse collection of cases, parables, description of procedure and references demonstrates the broad range, politik, and capriciousness of THE LAW. Its offerings include the evolution of women being able to sue their husbands; marijuana decriminalization; gun control; free speech; gay marriage and more! The extensive references include literary and online. And it's a very readable read too!

Before the Law: An Introduction to the Legal Process

This is no doubt an excellent collection. Obviously, a lot of thought has gone into the selecting of the numerous reading. I've used it as companion to my course on sociology of law. It proved, however, a little too complex for undergraduates. I still believe it would be very useful for graduate courses, in particular the notes and questions accompanying the readings. My main objection is the clearly leftist (or anarchical ?) bias the reader rather rapidly detects. I am not questioning the right of the editors to promote their point of view. But I believe their sympathies should have been stated to start with. Textbooks need not be neutral; their leanings, however, should not be hidden behind pretended scientific or academic objectivity. It is somewhat annoying to have to warn students. The above does not mean that I will never assign the book again. But it is my considered opinion that the higher level of critical ability of graduate students is more appropriate to confront the propaganda aspect of this text.

I first read this book as a freshman at the University of Massachusetts over a decade ago. I still have it on my bookshelf. What the writers have done, all proffesors at UMass, is to aggregate numerous sources of content some legal, some on the fringes which are made to be legal oriented in context, to offer an anti clinical and humanisitic approach to the study of law. The focus is to offer the reader/student a different perspective on law and its impact and effect on society. I would imagine that reading the text alone may be a less than gratifying experience, but coupled with intellectual discussion it can be a tremendously powerful tool. The text is required reading for all UMass Legal Studies majors, and offers a wonderful foundation for moving forward within the study of law with a unique point of view.