Law School for Everyone: Legislation and Regulation

"The subjects of legislation and regulation are at the heart of how laws are understood and applied every day. A relatively recent addition to more traditional law school topics like torts and contracts, these subjects are becoming more and more of a mainstay in some of the country's top law schools. Given the increasingly prominent role of legislation and regulation in today's national discourse, it's critical for law students and everyday learners alike to understand how these forms of law govern countless aspects of our lives--including everything from workplace safety to the vehicles you drive to the speed of your internet connection. With Law School for Everyone: Legislation and Regulation, award-winning law professor Peter J. Smith of The George Washington University Law School makes these vital areas of American law accessible to anyone who wants to know how lawmakers and lawyers navigate their many complexities. Over the course of 12 nuanced and balanced lectures, you'll get the opportunity to examine a host of topics, including: The nature of regulation ; The merits of lawmaking by legislation ; The challenge of interpreting statutes, and ; The role of federal agencies in our legal system. Along the way, you'll confront intriguing--and controversial--questions about the letter versus the spirit of the law, how much authority independent federal agencies should have, and when a court or the president should step in to impose their own interpretations. Taken together, these lectures are a guide to how we, as citizens, can make sense of the law so we can comply with it--or challenge it when necessary." --… (more)