Constitutional Law: Principles and Practice (West Legal Studies)

Unlike many texts on Constitutional Law, this text not only explains the major legal principles and concepts but relates these to the practical, everyday experiences of legal professionals as well as non-professionals. The text is appropriate for a variety of students, including legal studies, paralegal, pre-law and administration of justice students. The text discusses and explains major Supreme Court cases and provides examples of how these decisions impact law practice and daily lives. Selected cases, carefully edited for ease of reading, are included. A number of features help the students grasp difficult legal concepts. Each chapter contains a clear statement of chapter objectives, review questions, analysis questions and vocabulary terms to help students determine if they understand the concepts in the chapter. Legal vocabulary is defined in the margins (based on Oran's Dictionary of the Law.) Several charts and tables are included. Other features emphasize the practical nature of Constitutional Law. Several relevant legal documents are included in the chapters and appendix materials (e.g., writs, subpoenas, complaint forms) Each chapter begins with a hypothetical case illustrating a constitutional law problem and each chapter contains a related ethical dilemma for those working in a legal environment. At the end of each chapter is a feature entitled, Putting It Into Practice, requiring students to complete an assignment of practical nature. The inclusion of key web sites also illustrates the practical application of many constitutional principles. In addition, that feature allows students to further explore areas of personal interest.