federal court

Federal Courts Examples & Explanations
$43.95
Fed Cts. is a hard subject. This book is a godsend! You need this book if you want to do well in the course. It really helps explain the overreaching themes of the course and gives great examples. A must have for fed cts. Trust me! You will be very thankful when it comes exam time and you are trying to figure out all those old Supreme Court cases on jurisdiction that seem to be written in an alien language.

Casenote Legal Briefs: Federal Courts - Keyed to Fallon, Meltzer & Shapiro (Hart & Wechsler)
$35.95
After your casebook, "Casenotes" will be your most important reference source for the entire semester. It is the most popular legal briefs series available, with over 140 titles, and is relied on by thousands of students for its expert case summaries, comprehensive analysis of concurrences and dissents, as well as of the majority opinion in the briefs.

Gilbert Law Summaries on Federal Courts
$33.00
The Federal Courts ouline discusses Article III courts, the case or controversy ;requirement, justiciability, advisory opinions, political questions, and ripeness. Also includes mootness, standing, congressional power over federal court jurisdiction, Supreme Court jurisdiction, district court subject matter jurisdiction (including federal question jurisdiction and diversity jurisdiction), and pendent and ancillary jurisdiction. Other topics include removal jurisdiction, venue, forum non conveniens, law applied in the federal courts (including Erie Doctrine), federal law in the state courts, abstention, habeas corpus for state prisoners, federal injunctions against state court proceedings, and Eleventh Amendment.

The Federal Courts and the Federal System (Unviersity Casebook)
$156.00
While I agree with the below readers about the over-usage of footnotes, I believe the notes are necessary, as the federal courts system has changed dramatically since the first edition was published.

I loved the course, and therefore loved the book. I think the two must go hand-in-hand. It gives a somewhat concise history of the beginnings of our federalist system complete with checks and balances, separation of powers, usage of legislative and executive courts. I found the historical context inspiring. To compare the intellectual abilities of American politicians of 200 years ago with the politicians today, you are left with your jaw on the ground asking "what happened?"

I think this book can give a practitioner a roadmap on how to find your way around the federal court system (you learn to plead out of a complaint for lack of jurisdiction for lack of standing due to mootness, ripeness, political question, etc) and gives you an in depth look at various niche practice areas which are bulging with activity nowadays. (Executive and State Judicial Habeas Corpus...the most interesting section if you ask me...unfortunately you'll have to buy the supplement for the bulk of the issue, but the history is fascinating.)

Federal Courts is a near unwieldy course, but it is fascinating just like this 1300+ page book. Whether you like this book depends on whether you like the topic.