Judicial Process in America

by Robert A. Carp

This thoroughly updated, comprehensive study of the American court system provides an insightful look at the complex environment in which judges, lawyers, litigants, and other actors function in our federal and state, civil and criminal systems. Judicial Process in America offers a thorough and balanced look at the procedural and human variables that influence the judicial process. Carp and Stidham examine the interrelation of courts and public policy, the powerful role that judges' decisions play in shaping public policy, and how judges engage in policymaking through their court decisions. The book draws on the latest legal and social science scholarship.

Genres: Textbooks, Nonfiction, Political Science, Politics, Law

496 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1989

Reviews

[Sarana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for a class but it was written well and not as dry as some other textbooks can be. It included relevant information, even beyond the 2016 election, which helped correlate themes to modern times.

[Tess McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I now know more, onto the next class.

[Tera · Rating 3 out of 5]

ITS GOING IN THE GOODREADS

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this was an informative book that decently presented otherwise dry, complex material.

The text is unfortunately very dense, meaning that there is a lot to read through in order to get to the key facts. The long paragraphs would have benefited from being broken up into bullet points. The author bolds important terminology but unfortunately does not define all of them in the glossary. If the term was important enough to bold, a quick-reference definition should be provided, especially for those readers who do not have prior knowledge of legal terminology.

Format aside, the text is actually well-organized. The layout of the chapters is natural and fluid. The author appropriately provides necessary historical background to explain how the system got to where it is today. He splits federal and state issues into two separate chapters, which is especially helpful in understanding the differences and distinctions between federal and state jurisdictions.

Overall, this is a good introductory reference book on the subject of the American judicial system.

[Lanny Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned a lot about the judicial system from it. The book really changed my perspective on the courts.

[Heather Lippe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was easy to digest and really explained the judicial system.