Justice before the law [electronic resource] / Michael Huemer.

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Justice before the law [electronic resource] / Michael Huemer.

9783030675431 (electronic bk.)
3030675432 (electronic bk.)
3030675424
9783030675424

Cham, Switzerland : Palgrave Macmillan, 2021.

English

1 online resource

10.1007/978-3-030-67543-1 doi

KF306

174.30973

Americas 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.

Includes index.

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Description based on print version record.

Print version: 9783030675424
Justice before the law

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