Thousands of rules affect our work and play, what we buy, and how we get along with our neighbors. This book meets the need of students and general readers alike for a comprehensive introduction to the American legal system. It explains how laws are made and brilliantly explores the way changes in law mirror, and sometimes guide, changes in society . Lawrence Friedman now offers a revised and updated edition of his comprehensive introduction to the American legal system. Rich in anecdote and historical detail, this invaluable book makes the bewildering complexity of American law understandable to us all. It explains how laws are made, from the United States Constitution to the small-town zoning board, and how law is administered by courts and agencies at every level of government. It describes the tremendous variety of law: antitrust law, family law, torts (the law of accidents), criminal justice, rules for packaging medicine and food. And it brilliantly explores important trends to reveal the way changes in law mirror, and sometimes guide, changes in society.