America’s Courts and the Criminal Justice System 13th Edition

America's Courts and the Criminal Justice System, Thirteenth Edition by David W. Neubauer and Henry F. Fradella — Published by Cengage Learning

The most widely adopted courts textbook in the country, America's Courts and the Criminal Justice System provides a clear, balanced, and comprehensive introduction to the structure and operations of the American court system — from the origins and organization of federal and state courts through every stage of the criminal process. Renowned for its accessible writing style, thorough coverage, and ability to connect legal concepts to the realities of the criminal justice system, this text helps students understand not just how courts work, but why they work the way they do, and what reforms are being proposed and implemented.

The Thirteenth Edition has been carefully updated to reflect the most recent developments in criminal law and procedure, including new landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions and the latest research and data on courts and criminal justice. Coverage spans the full arc of the court process — including jurisdiction, arrest, bail, grand juries, plea bargaining, trials, sentencing, and appeals — as well as topics such as problem-solving courts, wrongful convictions, the role of technology in evidence and surveillance, and ongoing debates about racial equity in the justice system. "Courts in the News" and "Controversy" features bring current events and contested issues directly into the classroom.

David W. Neubauer is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of New Orleans, where he spent his distinguished career researching and teaching criminal courts and the administration of justice. Henry F. Fradella is Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Associate Dean for Research at Arizona State University, where his scholarship spans criminal law, constitutional criminal procedure, and criminological theory. Together, they have produced the most authoritative and widely trusted introduction to American courts available for students of criminal justice, political science, and pre-law studies.