The Best Law Books

A law is defined as a binding custom or practice of a community: a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority. Laws exist all over the world and are different in every country. As a citizen of the United States, it’s your right to know all of the laws and amendments that we use. To help you learn a little more, I’ll be going over some of the best law books to help you understand the United States legal structure.

Understanding Criminal Law – Joshua Dressler

This book has been a popular choice for criminal law students for the past 25 years or so when assistance is needed. It’s also frequently cited by courts and scholars in their analysis of criminal law. It focuses on the basic elements of, and defenses to, all crimes. This includes in-depth coverage of crimes such as homicide, theft, and rape. It also covers other topics such as accomplice and inchoate liability. 

Environmental Law Handbook – Christopher L. Bell and more

Back in 1970, Congress passed the first environmental law, and 3 years later the Environmental Law Handbook was published. It’s been a go-to source for students and professionals alike ever since. The book offers clear and accessible explanations, as well as legal insight into new and evolving regulations from experts. This book starts with the fundamentals of environmental law but quickly dives into bigger things, examining their history, scope, and requirements. The book is thoroughly kept up to date, currently on it’s 23rd edition.

Family Law – William P. Statsky

This one provides an introduction to modern family law and covers substantive and procedural law. The book also includes state-specific assignments to help you identify relevant laws and regulations in your area. With the book being on its sixth edition, the latest updates include same-sex marriage, adoption, fertility, stem cell research, material on legal ethics, and the role of tech in law. In addition to the fundamentals, you’ll also learn about sample checklists, documents, cases, forms, and real-world tools.

International Law – Malcolm Evans

Fully updates to its fifth edition, International Law is a widely celebrated book and considered an excellent collection of diverse writings from leading scholars. The book succeeds in explaining the principles of international law and exposing the debates and challenges that lie beneath it. This book has continued to provide a stimulating overview of the subject, and also includes online resources which feature personal views and insights of eminent law experts.

There are multitudes of resources you can use if you’re trying to learn more about law in The United States. These are just a few of the most popular books, but there are countless others you can read, as well as any resources on the internet. It’s important to educate yourself on the countries legal structure, so get reading!