LibGuides: LLM Guide: U.S. Legal System Basics

Court system overviews

Common Law and Civl Law Traditions Explained
10-min. video: comparison of the two major legal traditions followed by most countries of the world.
Structure of Federal Courts
Explore the federal court system here. See links to the left of the text for even more useful information.
Structure of California Courts
Overview of the California court system with links to more information.

How to Read a Legal Opinion

A Guide for New Law Students

Prof. Orin S. Kerr's brief explainer on the structure and conventions of U.S. judicial opinions "to help new law students prepare for the first few weeks of class." 11 Green Bag 2d 51 (2007).

Books available at the law library

Legal Systems of the World by Herbert M. Kritzer (Ed.)
Call Number: K48 .L44 2002
ISBN: 1576072312
Publication Date: 2002
4 volumes
Finding the Law by Robert C. Berring; Elizabeth A. Edinger
Call Number: KF240 .B45 2005
ISBN: 0314145796
Publication Date: 2005
Chap. 1, pp. 9-16: Good overview of US Federal System, legal precedent and legal authority.
Federal Legal Research by Sarah Ricks et al.
Call Number: KF240 .F48 2015
ISBN: 9781611637137
Publication Date: 2015-07-01
Read it online as an e-book.
California Legal Research by Aimee Dudovitz et al.
Call Number: KFC74 .D83 2016
ISBN: 9781611638387
Publication Date: 2016
California Legal Research Handbook by Larry D. Dershem
Call Number: KFC74 .D47 2008
ISBN: 0837715318
Publication Date: 2008