Understanding the Law » (5th Edition)

Professor Donald Carper began his career as an analyst for the State of California Coordinating Council for higher education researching critical issues in higher education for the California legislature. He served six years as Dean of Students and Lecturer in law at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of law. For the last twenty-five years he has taught in Colleges of Business at the University of the Pacific and California State University and the School of Agricultural Economics at the University of California, Davis. He practiced law and was the managing attorney for a medium size business and health law firm. While at McGeorge he helped establish the Institute for Administrative Justice which established a national reputation for training administrative hearing officers. His interest in administrative hearings as alternatives to judicial resolution led to an early interest in alternative dispute resolution. He acts as an arbitrator and mediator working to resolve public and private disputes. He is an Associate with the California Center for Public Dispute Resolution and serves on the Northern California Advisory Committee for the American Arbitration Association. He has been active in International programs. In recent years Professor Carper worked to establish two mediation centers in the Kaluga, Oblast in Russia. In addition he has worked on ADR programs and training of judges and lawyers in West Africa. His work in both Africa and Russia continues. In addition he has created and participated in training programs for lawyers and judges from Russia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Korea, and China at the California State University, Sacramento campus. Professor Carper received his undergraduate degree from California State University, Chico in Personnel and Industrial Relations, his Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California and his Juris Doctor from the McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific.

Dr. John A. McKinsey is a practicing attorney in Sacramento where he also teaches Business Law at California State University in Sacramento. His law practice focuses on project development, environmental law and business transactions associated with energy and regulation. His research focuses on Administrative Law and the Regulation of Business.

Professor West began his career with the practice of law followed by a stint in real estate development and investment. For many years he served as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association. These activities overlapped his tenure with California State University, Sacramento where he taught law and real estate in the business school. Now an Emeritus Professor, West received his undergraduate degree from University of California, Berkeley, his Master's in Business Administration from Golden Gate University, and his Juris Doctor from UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law.

Carper (legal studies and conflict management, California State University) and West (law and real estate, emeritus, California State University) introduce basics of business law and individual law issues to students with no previous courses in law. The text begins with material on business law issues such as constitutional law and dispute resolution. Coverage then turns toward aspects of the law affecting the individual, such as family law and personal real estate. This fourth edition features chapter objectives, a new appendix on how to brief a case, and a new section on ethical reasoning. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Booknews

New edition of a text that presents the fundamentals of law and our legal system. Fourteen chapters discuss the legal system and basic principles of law (the Constitution, the court system, the attorney- client relationship, administrative law, public and private wrongs, and contracts) as well as applications of the law to the individual (family law, owning and operating motor vehicles, renters and landlords, home ownership, employee and employer rights and duties, and wills, trusts, and probate laws). The included CD-ROM contains Quicken Business Law Partner 3.0. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

UNIT I: THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND BASIC PRINCIPLES OF LAW. 1. Introduction to Law. 2. Our Constitution. 3. The Court System. 4. Attorney Client Relationship. 5. Administrative Law. 6. Crimes: Public Wrongs. 7. Torts: Private Wrongs. 8. Contracts: Enforceable Agreements. UNIT II: APPLICATIONS OF THE LAW TO THE INDIVIDUAL. 9. Family Law. 10. Owning and Operating Motor Vehicles. 11. Renters and Landlords. 12. Home Ownership. 13.Employee and Employer Rights and Duties. 14. Wills, Trusts, and Probate Laws. Appendices. Glossary. Indexes.