The American Legal System and Civic Engagement : Why We All Should Think Like Lawyers

This book shows how the ordinary citizen can form his opinions on public issues more intelligently, confidently, and responsibly by drawing on the tools and traditions of the American legal system. In recent years there has been a widely-recognized and serious lack of rational and civil public discussion about current issues. In The American Legal System and Civic Engagement, Manaster asserts that ordinary citizens can form their opinions on public issues more intelligently, confidently, and responsibly if they have some guidance on how to do it. Drawing from the tools and traditions of the American legal system, he offers guidance to aid citizens in understanding public issues and participating in the type of responsible public debate these challenging issues deserve. From analyzing the influence of the media in informing the public, to examining the role of the citizen as a juror, The American Legal System and Civic Engagement is a practical and informative guide to how Americans can better perform the civic duty that modern democracy requires Cover 1 Half-Title 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Epigraph 7 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 1 The Citizen’s Task 11 2 The Citizen’s Obstacles 18 3 Conventional Guidance 29 4 The Law’s Tools and Traditions 46 5 The Citizen as Juror 80 6 Inescapable Differences 98 7 Guidance from the Law 109 8 Conclusion: About Responsibility 149 Appendix: Reviewing the Guidance 152 Notes 157 Index 204 Front Matter....Pages i-ix The Citizen’s Task....Pages 1-7 The Citizen’s Obstacles....Pages 9-19 Conventional Guidance....Pages 21-37 The Law’s Tools and Traditions....Pages 39-72 The Citizen as Juror....Pages 73-90 Inescapable Differences....Pages 91-101 Guidance from the Law....Pages 103-142 Conclusion: About Responsibility....Pages 143-145 Back Matter....Pages 147-217