ACKNOWLEDGMENTS<br > |<br > More than any other sort of book， an introductory text ex-<br >presses the sum of the author s view of a vast terrain. While the<br >personality and imagination belong to the author， most of the<br >ideas belong to others. Many insights about law were assimilated<br >so long ago that their attribution is no longer possible. Neverthe-<br >less， numerous debts have accrued， which may in some small way<br >be paid here.<br > I was quite fortunate in having an editor， Jay Whitney. who<br >was supportive of both my goals and my modus operandi. I was<br >given a freedom not usually afforded authors of texts， and Jay s<br >contributions invariably enhanced the text. From the beginning，<br >we envisioned a book aimed at the paralegal embarking on a new<br >field of study both mysterious and complex. The goal， which we<br >hope we have realized， was to provide a guide through the laby-<br >rinth of law and legal system that could be readily learned and<br >readily taught.<br > Fortunately for the teacher， learning is a collaborative ef-<br >fort. in fifteen years of teaching law to students at the University<br >of Central Florida， 1 have formed very definite thoughts concerning<br >what students can learn from an introductory course and what<br >they need to know as they proceed to more advanced studies.<br >My students have been both critical and supportive of my el -<br >forts to convey a picture of American law in the classroom. Tile<br >subject matter and approach of this book owe much to their<br >comments.<br > As luck would have it， I enjoyed a special windlan as 1 began<br >this text in having two extremely able students whose help with<br >the book was invaluable. Jolee Farinacci and Thomas diLustro<br >tirelessly performed endless research. No aspect of the text was<br >tacMed without first eon.~ultina t}le~ t~m c;tft.rl h~，-Ih.i.~.，，~o<br >