1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910502620403321

Autore

Huemer Michael

Titolo

Justice before the Law / / by Michael Huemer

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cham : , : Springer International Publishing : , : Imprint : Palgrave Macmillan, , 2021

ISBN

9783030675431

3030675432

Edizione

[1st ed. 2021.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource

Disciplina

320.01

174.30973

Soggetti

Law - Philosophy

Political science - Philosophy

Ethics

Philosophy of Law

Political Philosophy

Moral Philosophy and Applied Ethics

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Part I: Foundations for a Defense of Justice -- Chapter 1. Introduction. - Chapter 2. Law and Morality -- Part II: Legal Injustices -- Chapter 3. Unjust Laws -- Chapter 4. The Price of Justice -- Chapter 5. Conviction by Blackmail -- Chapter 6. Unjust Punishments -- Chapter 7. Abuse of Power -- Part III: In Defense of Justice -- Chapter 8. The Primacy of Justice -- Chapter 9. The Authority of Law -- Chapter 10. Role Playing -- Chapter 11 The Rule of Law.

Sommario/riassunto

America's legal system harbors serious, widespread injustices. Many defendants are sent to prison for nonviolent offenses, including many victimless crimes. Convicts often serve draconian sentences in crowded prisons rife with abuse. Almost all defendants are convicted without trial because prosecutors threaten defendants with drastically higher sentences if they request a trial. Most Americans are terrified of encountering any kind of legal trouble, knowing that both civil and criminal courts are extremely slow, unreliable, and expensive to use. This book explores the largest injustices in the legal system and what



can be done about them. Besides proposing institutional reforms, the author argues that prosecutors, judges, lawyers, and jury members ought to place justice before the law - for example, by refusing to enforce unjust laws or impose unjust sentences. Issues addressed include: · The philosophical basis for judgments about rights and justice · The problems of overcriminalization and mass incarceration · Abuse of power by police and prosecutors · The injustice of plea bargaining · The appropriateness of jury nullification · The authority of the law, or the lack thereof Justice Before the Law is essential reading for everyone interested in legal ethics, the rule of law, and criminal justice. It is also ideal for students of legal philosophy.