"v." represents "versus" which is found in legal case names, such as "Marbury v. Madison" and "Roe v. Wade." The book "v." uses legal cases and documents to provide guidance as readers examine issues of law and their impact on society. The reverse is also explored, so that readers become aware of how society in turn influences the law. Rather than discussing law and legal concepts as they are interpreted by the author, the book excerpts both old and new case law, court transcripts, and other material to highlight legal issues that are pertinent today.
As law and society change over time, so too do the fields of law in which an attorney can practice. The unique opening chapter of this book examines animal law, a relatively new and rapidly growing legal field. The issues contained in this first chapter provide an entry point to the broader focus of the book: the law, an ever-changing society, and the relationship between the two. Vote totals for each Supreme Court case presented are also included, which encourage discussion on a particular issue's importance to society or the polarization of society on that issue.
Topics examined in "v." include:
- Animal Law
- Civil Procedure
- Torts
- Constitutional Law
- Property
- Intellectual Property
- Corporate Law
- Contracts
- Family Law
- Criminal Law & Procedure
- Fashion Law
"v." provides a solid, basic introduction to common legal concepts and the current societal issues these concepts affect.
Alan S. Nemeth is an adjunct professor in the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, where he has taught classes on Law and Society and Animal Law and Policy. He is also an adjunct professor at both the American University Washington College of Law and the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he teaches Animal Law. He is an award-winning writer, an attorney, an MBA holder, and a member of the U.S. Supreme Court, Maryland and District of Columbia bars. In 2005, Professor Nemeth founded the Animal Law section of the Maryland State Bar Association. He has written law review articles on how state anti-cruelty laws can be used to protect animals used by circuses and on ways in which cap and trade could be used to promote animal welfare.