Open the Door to U.S. Law (Everything You Want to Know About the U.S. Legal System)

Author: (American) Richard Feynman, with notes by Sun Xinqiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Open the Door to American Law can be considered a micro-encyclopedia of American law, as its subtitle states: "Everything You Need to Know About the American Legal System." Here, you will find all the answers. It provides a rich resource for law students in university law schools and anyone who wants to better understand legal issues—a complete, clear, and vivid overview of the American legal system. This book has three main features:
First, it is comprehensive and well-informed. Open the Door to American Law covers all the courses required for first-year law students in American law schools, from constitutional law and procedural law to tort law, from contract law and property law to criminal law, etc. Each section is titled with a concise question, highlighting key points and providing an outline, allowing readers to understand all aspects of the American judicial system.
Second, it includes numerous and typical cases. The author cites many classic cases when explaining his views, some amusingly interesting, some infuriating, and some infamous, such as McDonald being awarded $500,000 in compensation for a scalding coffee injury; a horrifying murder case that occurred in London during the Victorian era, the trial of which defined legal insanity; and the landmark decision in Marbury v. Madison, which granted the U.S. Supreme Court the power of judicial review, etc.
Third, the language is clear and easy to understand. The author’s introduction to the American legal system is clear and lucid, with vivid language, making the originally dry and obscure legal knowledge accessible and engaging. Learning American law through authentic English helps improve law students’ legal English proficiency. By defining legal terminology, it also helps expand readers’ legal vocabulary, such as "due process" and "equal protection" in constitutional law, or "murder" and "manslaughter" in criminal law.
This book not only introduces legal knowledge but, more importantly, by posing some thought-provoking questions or discussing challenging cases handled by judges and lawyers, it allows readers to immerse themselves in the legislative process. After reading this book, when you encounter legal disputes, you will have a better understanding of their background and complexity, and you will be able to make more accurate independent judgments about the facts. When facing legal issues in life, whether buying property or suing others to protect your rights, you will be better prepared to think about problems from a legal perspective.
If you are a student, whether studying law or another field, this book will give you a comprehensive understanding of legal subjects that is difficult to achieve through other means. Reading this book will be enjoyable and rewarding, as legal issues can sometimes be hilarious and sometimes deeply outrageous, but always fascinating. After reading it, you will realize that law is not obscure or unattainable but rather approachable and closely related to our lives. Due to these features, this book has been favored by countless American readers, and we believe it will also win the appreciation of domestic readers.