"American Legal Systems: A Resource and Reference Guide, now in its third edition, is a reader-friendly introduction to U.S. legal terms, institutions, and sources of law, including a discussion of precedent and the defining principle of stare decisis. Many of the concepts covered are tied to the realities of law practice. The text provides practice tips and instruction on how to prepare commonplace legal documents. The information is largely presented in charts, with explanatory interspatial text to provide context, and can be used as a complement to other coursework or on its own as an introduction to the U.S. legal system"--.