Includes bibliographical references (p. 196-197) and index.

Frivolous lawsuits are a problem in the civil justice system / Jodie Allen -- Tort reform would damage the civil justice system / Robert S. Peck -- Class action suits benefit the average citizen / John H. Church Jr. -- Class action suits benefit attorneys / Deborah R. Hensler ... [et al.] -- Activist judges undermine democracy / Max Boot -- Congress is a threat to judicial independence / Herman Schwartz -- The jury system should be reformed / William T. Pizzi -- The jury system is under attack / Jeffrey Robert White -- The jury system should permit nullification / Nathan Lapp -- Jury nullification is unfair / Nancy King -- Peremptory challenges are necessary / Bobby Lee Cook and Michael A. Sullivan -- Peremptory challenges are unfair / Gregory E. Mize -- Racial profiling reduces the effectiveness of the criminal justice system / David A. Harris -- Racial profiling can be justified / John Derbyshire -- Mandatory minimum sentencing laws are unfair / Maxine Waters -- Mandatory minimum sentencing laws are desirable / George Allen -- Miranda protects defendants / John P. Frank -- The Supreme Court should not have upheld Miranda / Paul G. Cassell -- The United States needs a constitutional amendment to protect crime victims / Laurence H. Tribe -- Crime victims do not need a constitutional amendment / Wendy Kaminer -- Cameras should be permitted in courtrooms / Fred Graham -- Cameras should not be allowed in courtrooms / Woody West -- Timothy McVeigh's execution should have been televised / Thomas Lynch -- Timothy McVeigh's execution should not have been televised / Raymond A. Schroth -- The media provide a poor understanding of the legal system / Richard L. Fox and Robert W. Van Sickel -- The media do not prevent fair trials / Bruce W. Sanford.

Examines the legal system as it is today and debates the use of DNA testing as a tool to reverse or prevent wrongful convictions.