Books
Build Your Legal Library
Building a solid legal library is essential for your academic and professional journey. Our program requires various books and study materials to support your legal education. Please note that the information provided here is subject to change, so be sure to purchase the required books when instructed to do so.
It is important to be aware that tuition and fees do not cover the costs of books and study materials. These expenses are the responsibility of each student . We’ve estimated the cost of books and study materials to be approximately $800 for the first year and an average of $1,400 per year for the following three years, making it around $5,000 for the entire four-year JD program. These estimates are based on using new hardcover books. However, many casebooks are available for rent, and digital versions may also be accessible at a reduced expense. By planning your legal library wisely, you can manage these costs effectively and ensure you have the necessary resources for a successful legal education.
Law Library
At St. Francis, you learn legal research skills in upper‐division research courses.
You have access to LexisNexis—a comprehensive digital library, which includes case law, statutes, practice guides, law review articles, and study resources. In addition to the skills training we provide, you can take advantage of the live research training and materials LexisNexis offers to help law students become familiar with its complex legal database.
Book List
Unless otherwise noted, all books are required reading for the courses below. Information provided is for courses in the accredited J.D. program. Please use the ISBN number to confirm that you are selecting the correct edition before making your purchases. If in doubt, contact academic@stfrancislaw.com before purchasing.
New Student Orientation
SF 5010 | New Student Orientation | |
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Dennis J. Tonsing, 1000 Days to the Bar – But the Practice of Law Begins Now! (2nd ed. 2010) (William S. Hein & Co., Inc.), ISBN: 9780837738130 | ||
Friedman, Barry & Goldberg, John C.P., Open Book: The Inside Track to Law School Success (2d ed. 2016) (Wolters Kluwer), ISBN: 9781454873563 |
First Year Law Courses
LAW 1210, 1220, & 1230 | Contracts I, II, & III | |
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Brian Blum and Amy Bushaw, Contracts: Cases, Discussion and Problems (Aspen 4th ED. 2017). ISBN: 978-1-4548-88956 | ||
Steven L. Emanuel, Crunch Time: Contracts (Aspen 6th Ed. 2016). ISBN-13#: 9781454870173 |
LAW 1110 & 1120 | Criminal Law I & II | |
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Marcus et al, Criminal Law (Carolina Academic Press 9th Ed. 2021) ISBN: 978-1-5310-1464-3; e book ISBN: 978-1-5310-1465-0 | ||
Steven L. Emanuel, CrunchTime: Criminal Law, (Aspen 6th Ed. 2022) e ISBN 978- 1-5438-0577-2 |
LAW 1010, 1020, & 1030 | Torts I, II, & III | |
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Meredith J. Duncan, Ronald Turner & Rory D. Bahadur, Torts: A Contemporary Approach (3rd ed. 2018) (Interactive Casebook Series – West Academic Publishing), ISBN: 9781640200708 | ||
Steven L. Emanuel, Crunch Time: Torts (5th ed. 2015) (Wolters Kluwer), ISBN: 9781454840954 |
Upper Division Required Law Courses
LAW 2010 | Introduction to Legal Research and Writing | |
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The Legal Writing Handbook, 8th Ed. Laurel Currie Oates and Annie Enquist (2021, WK Legal) ISBN 978-1-5438-3041-5 | ||
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (Columbia Law Review Ass’n et al. eds., 21st ed.). Print: ISBN 978-0-578-66615-0; also available by subscription from https://www.legalbluebook.com/. | ||
Interactive Citation Workbook for the Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, Tracy M. Norton, Christine Hurt & Jeffry D. Jackson, 2020 Edition. ISBN 9781522185550; e-ISBN: 9781522195863 |
LAW 3410 & 3420 | Business Associations I & II | |
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Klein, Ramseyer and Bainbridge’s Business Associations, Cases and Materials on Agency, Partnerships, and Corporations, Foundation Press New York, NY (11th ed. 2021); ISBN: 9781684673346 | ||
Rhee, Robert J., Developing Professional Skills: Business Associations, West Academic (2nd ed. 2018); ISBN: 978-1-68328-043-9 (“Rhee”). |
LAW 2310 & 2320 | Civil Procedure I & II | |
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A. Benjamin Spencer, Civil Procedure – A Contemporary Approach (6th Edition – Interactive Casebook Series; West Academic Publishing 2021) ISBN: 978-1-6846-7549-4 | ||
Paula Schaefer, Developing Professional Skills: Civil Procedure (West 2013) ISBN # 978-0-314-27953-8 | ||
William Slomanson, California Civil Procedure in a Nutshell (5th ed. West Academic Publishing) ISBN: 978-1628100273 (recommended) | ||
Steven L. Emanuel, Crunchtime Civil Procedure (7th ed. Wolters Kluwer 2018) ISBN-13: 978-1454897477 (recommended) |
LAW 4010 | Community Property | |
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Grace Ganz Blumberg, Community Property in California (Aspen 8th Ed. 2021) Connected eBook + Print Book: ISBN: 9781543804409; Connected eBook: ISBN: 9781543844146; ebook: ISBN: 9781543829587 | ||
Charlotte K. Goldberg, California Community Property – Examples & Explanations, (Wolters Kluwer 5th Ed. 2016) ISBN: 9781454868460 (recommended) |
LAW 2210 & LAW 2220 | Constitutional Law I & II | |
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Massey, C. and Denning, B., American Constitutional Law – Powers & Liberties, (6th ed. Aspen 2019); ISBN 9781543801484 (print); ISBN 9781543812008 (ebook) | ||
Emanuel CrunchTime Constitutional Law (20th ed. Wolters Kluwer 2022); ISBN 978-1-5438-4639-3 (print); ISBN: 9781543846409 (ebook) | ||
Araiza, et al., Skills & Values: Constitutional Law (Carolina Academic Press, formerly LexisNexis 2013); ISBN 9781422474518 (print); e-ISBN 978-0-32717-963-4 (ebook) |
LAW 3010 | Criminal Procedure | |
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Joshua Dressler, Understanding Criminal Procedure: Volume 1: Investigation (Carolina Academic Press, 8th Ed. 2021) Paperback ISBN: 978-1-5310-2153-5; e-ISBN: 978-1-5310-2154-2 | ||
Steven L. Emanuel, Emanuel Crunchtime Outlines: Criminal Procedure, (Wolters Kluwer 10th Ed. 2019) ISBN: 978-1-5438-075-8 | ||
Susan L. Kay, Skills and Values Criminal Procedure (2012 LexisNexis) ISBN 9781422478431; ISBN for eBook: 9780327174301 |
LAW 3210 & 3220 | Evidence I & II | |
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David A. Sklansky & Andrea L. Roth, Evidence – Cases, Commentary and Problems (5th Ed. 2020 Aspen) ISBN: 9781543804577 | ||
John B. Mitchell & Rick T. Barron, Skills & Values: Evidence (2nd ed. 2012, Lexis/Carolina Academic Press) ISBN: 978076984908-9 | ||
Chris Chambers Goodman, California Evidence – Examples and Explanations 2d Ed. (2d ed. 2016, Wolters Kluwer) ISBN: 9781454846864 (recommended) | ||
Steven Emanuel, CrunchTime Evidence, (6th ed. 2018 Wolters Kluwer) ISBN: 9781454891062 (recommended) | ||
Bar Charts, Evidence Quick Study (2016, Bar Charts, Inc.) ISBN: 9781423233121 (recommended) |
LAW 2410 | Competency Review | |
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Enrollment in Adaptibar | ||
Strategies & Tactics for the Finz Multistate Method, Steven Finz, 5th Edition ISBN: 9781543805963 or ISBN 13: 9781543813487 | ||
Berman, Bar Exam MPT Preparation & Experiential Learning For Law Students, (Second Edition 2022, ABA Publishing) ISBN: 9781641057585 Product Code: 1620798 |
LAW 4020 | Professional Responsibility | |
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Wydick, Perschbacher & Basset, California Legal Ethics (11th ed. 2020, West Academic Publishing) ISBN: 978-1-6470-8261-1 | ||
Thomas Morgan, Model Rules on Professional Conduct and Other Selected Standards 2019, ISBN: 9781642420890; or 2020, ISBN: 9781642429428 | ||
Emanuel Law Outlines: Professional Responsibility (6th Ed. 2020) ISBN 9781543805864; eBook ISBN: 9781543816907 (recommended) |
LAW 3310 & 3320 | Real Property I & II | |
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Jesse Dukeminier, James E. Krier, Gregory Alexander, Michael Schill, and Lior Jacob Strahilevitz, Property (10th ed. 2022) ISBN: 9781543838497 or ISBN: 9781543856354 | ||
Brian D. Shannon & Gerry W. Beyer, Skills & Values – Property Law (2012) ISBN 9781422480472 (Carolina Academic Press) or eBook: 9780327179658 | ||
Steven Emmanuel, Crunchtime, Property (5th ed. 2017) ISBN: 9781454870227 (recommended) |
LAW 4040 | Remedies | |
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Douglas Laycock, Modern American Remedies, (Concise 5th Edition 2018) ISBN 978-1-4548-91260 | ||
Russell L. Weaver, Michael B. Kelly, W. Jonathan Cardi, Remedies Black Letter Outline, (2d Edition 2014) ISBN 978-0-314-90409-6 |
LAW 4030 | Trusts, Wills, & Estates | |
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Sitkoff & Dukeminier, Wills, Trusts & Estates (Aspen 10th ed. 2017); ISBN: 978-1-4548-7642-7 | ||
Peter Wendel, Emanuel Law Outlines, Wills, Trusts, and Estates (Wolters Kluwer 10th ed. 2018) ISBN: 978-1-4548-8605-1 | ||
Anderson & Boxx, Skills & Values, Trusts and Estates (Carolina Academic Press 2009) ISBN: 978-1-42242-698-2 | ||
French, A California Companion for the Course in Trusts, Wills & Estates, Selected Cases and Statutes, Including All Statutes Required for the California Bar Exam, 2021-2022 (Wolters Kluwer) ISBN: 978-1-5438-4463-4; eBook: 978-1- 5438-4464-1 (recommended) |
LAW 2020 | Advanced Legal Writing | |
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The Legal Writing Handbook, 8th Ed. Laurel Currie Oates and Annie Enquist (2021, WK Legal) ISBN 978-1-5438-3041-5 | ||
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (Columbia Law Review Ass’n et al. eds., 21st ed.). Print: ISBN: 978-0-578-66615-0; also available by subscription from https://www.legalbluebook.com/. |
LAW 4210 & 4220 | General Bar Prep I & II | |
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Sara J. Berman, Bar Exam MPT Preparation & Experiential Learning For Law Students: Interactive Performance Test Training, ABA Publishing ISBN: 978-1-63425-845-6 Product Code: 1620744 | ||
Strategies & Tactics for the Finz Multistate Method, Steven Finz, Wolters Kluwer Legal Education; either 4th Edition, ISBN: 9781454825067 or 5th Edition ISBN: 9781543805963 | ||
Basick Schindler – Essay Exam Writing for the California Bar Examination ISBN-13: 978-0735509931 (recommended) |
Upper Division Elective Law Courses
LAW 5010 | Professional Skills — Introduction to Contract Drafting | |
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Tina Stark, Drafting Contracts: How and Why Lawyers Do What They Do (2nd ed.), available from publisher Wolters Kluwer (Aspen) – ISBN 978-0-7355-9477-7 |
LAW 5020 | Professional Skills — Drafting Pleading | |
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Kamela Bridges & Wayne Schiess, Writing for Litigation, (2nd Edition, Wolters Kluwer 2020) ISBN: 978-1-5438-0919-0 |
LAW 5030 | Professional Skills — Drafting DIscovery | |
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David I. C. Thompson, Skills & Values: Discovery Practice (3d ed. Carolina Academic Press 2017) ISBN: 978-1-5310-0817-8 |
LAW 5040 | Professional Skills — Drafting Motions | |
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Kamela Bridges & Wayne Schiess, Writing for Litigation, (2nd Edition, Wolters Kluwer 2020) ISBN: 978-1-5438-0919-0 Morgan C., Dooley, M. Rushton, T., & Vaidak, N., Paul v. Dynamo Sporting Goods, Dillon and Hanson, NITA, 3rd Ed., 2018. Wait for your role assignment and purchase only the “A” or “B” version, as assigned to you. “A” version ISBN: 978-1601567499. “B” version ISBN: 978-1601567512 Gardner, J., Legal Argument: The Structure and Language of Effective Advocacy, Carolina Academic Press / LexisNexis, 3rd Ed., 2020; Print: ISBN: 978-1-5310-1727-9; e-ISBN: 978-1-5310-1728-6 (recommended) |
LAW 5050 | Professional Skills — Drafting Legal Correspondence | |
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Kamela Bridges & Wayne Schiess, Writing for Litigation, (2nd Edition, Wolters Kluwer 2020) ISBN: 978-1-5438-0919-0 |
LAW 5060 | Professional Skills — Legal Negotiation | |
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Craver, Charles B., Skills & Values: Legal Negotiating, Fourth Edition, 2020, Carolina Academic Press (formerly Lexis Nexis), ISBN: 978-1-5310-1781-1; eISBN: 978-1-5310-1782-1 Fisher, R. and Brown, S., Getting Together, Penguin, 1989; ISBN: 9780140126389 (recommended) |
LAW 5070 | Professional Skills — Accounting and Finance for Lawyers |
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Drake, Dwight; Drake’s Business and Financial Literacy for Law Students; 2014 West Academic; ISBN-13: 9781628102444 |
LAW 5080 | Professional Skills — Introduction to Business Planning |
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Drake, Dwight; Drake’s Business and Financial Literacy for Law Students; 2014 West Academic; ISBN-13: 9781628102444 Moye, John; Law of Business Organizations; 6thEdition, 2006, Cengage Learning, Inc.; ISBN: 978-1401820190 |
LAW 5090 | Professional Skills — Performance Simulation Seminar |
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Sara J. Berman, Bar Exam MPT Preparation & Experiential Learning For Law Students: Interactive Performance Test Training, ABA Publishing ISBN: 978-1-63425-845-6 Product Code: 1620744 |
LAW 6010 | Employment Law | |
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Marion G. Crain, Pauline T. Kim & Michael Selmi, Work Law: Cases and Materials (Carolina Academic Press 3d ed. 2015) ISBN 978-1-63281-538-5 | ||
A.G. Harmon, The Complete Advocate: A Practice File for Representing Clients from Beginning to End (Carolina Academic Press 2010) ISBN 978-1-4224-2992-1 | ||
Kamela Bridges & Wayne Schiess, Writing for Litigation, (2nd Edition, Wolters Kluwer 2020) ISBN: 978-1-5438-0919-0 (recommended) | ||
The Legal Writing Handbook, 7th Ed. Laurel Currie Oates, Annie Enquist, Jeremy Francis (2018, WK Legal) ISBN 978-1-4548-9528-2 (recommended) |
LAW 6020 | Bankruptcy | |
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Tabb & Brubaker, Bankruptcy Law: Principles, Policies, and Practice (4th edition 2015, Carolina Academic Press, ISBN: 978-1-63043-081-8; e-ISBN: 978-1-63043-082-5) | ||
Miller, Geoffrey, The Law of Governance, Risk Management and Compliance. (2020 Aspen Publishing). ISBN: 9781543812763 |
LAW 6030 | Compliance | |
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Miller, Geoffrey, The Law of Governance, Risk Management and Compliance. (2020 Aspen Publishing). ISBN: 9781543812763 |
LAW 6040 | Federal Income Taxation | |
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J. Martin Burke and Michael K. Friel, Understanding Federal Income Taxation (Carolina Academic Press) / LexisNexis 5th Ed. 2016) ISBN: 9781522103486 (Understanding Federal Income Taxation) | ||
Michelle L. Drumbl and Deborah S. Kearns, Skills & Values: Federal Income Taxation (LexisNexis 2011) ISBN: 978-1-4224-7842-4 (Skills & Values) |
LAW 6050 | Administrative Law | |
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William F. Fox, Understanding Administrative Law, published by LexisNexis (6th ed. 2012) – ISBN 9781422498651; eBook published by Carolina Academic Press ISBN 9780327183006 | ||
Alfred Aman & William Penniman, Skills & Values: Administrative Law, – ISBN 9781422483282 | ||
Crunchtime, Administrative Law, (Aspen 4th ed., 2016) ISBN-13: 978-1454868507 (recommended) | ||
Jellum and Jordan, Questions and Answers: Administrative Law, (Carolina Academic Press 3rd ed. 2015) ISBN: 9781630447892 (recommended) |
LAW 6060 | Law Practice Management | |
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Munneke, Gary A., “Introduction to Law Practice: Organizing and Managing Legal Work”, Thomas Reuters, 4th Edition, 2013, ISBN 9780314276452 | ||
Roper, Brent D., “Practical Law Office Management”, 3rd, Delmar Cengage Learning 2007 ISBN 978-1418029708 (recommended) | ||
Tracey, John A., “How to Read a Financial Report”, 6th Ed (or later), John H. Wiley & Sons, 2004; 6th edition ISBN: 978-0471478676; 7th edition ISBN: 978-0470405307; 8th edition ISBN: 978-1118735848 (recommended) |
LAW 6070 | Alternative Dispute Resolution | |
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The Third Side, William Ury (2000) ISBN 0 14 02.9634 4 | ||
Skills and Values: Alternative Dispute Resolution. John Burwell Garvey & Charles B. Craver (2nd ed. 2020, Carolina Academic Press) ISBN: 978-1-5310-2292-1; ebook ISBN: 978-1-5310-2293-8 |
LAW 6080 | Children and the Law | |
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Robert H. Mnookin and D. Kelly Weisberg, Child, Family and State- Problems and Materials on Children and the Law (Wolters Kluwer Aspen Casebook Series 7th ed. 2014) ISBN 978-1-4548-4084-8 |
LAW 6310 & 6320 | Intellectual Property I & II |
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Chisum, Ochoa, Ghosh and LaFrance, Understanding Intellectual Property, (Carolina Academic Press / LexisNexis, 4th ed. 2020) ISBN: 978-1-5310-1568-8; e-ISBN: 978-1-5310-1568-8 |
Lytle, Skills & Values: Intellectual Property (Carolina Academic Press / LexisNexis 2012) – ISBN: 978-1-42247-844-8; e-ISBN 9780327168935 |
Barrett, Margreth, Emanuel CrunchTime Intellectual Property, 3rd Edition (Wolters Kluwer 2012) – ISBN-13: 978-0735598072 (recommended) |
LAW 6420 | Criminal Trial Advocacy |
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Trial Techniques and Trials, Thomas A. Mauet, 11th Edition, (2021 Aspen) Connected eBook with Study Center + Print Book ISBN: 9781543825312; Connected eBook with Study Center ISBN: 9781543835786 | |
Materials in Trial Advocacy, Problems and Cases, Mauet, Wolfson & Easton, Ninth Edition (2019 Aspen) ISBN 978-1-5438-05185 |
LAW 6510 | Independent Study |
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Varies, depending on the project. |
LAW 6520 | Legal Externship |
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The Moral Compass of the American Lawyer, Richard Zitrin and Carol Langford, (1999) ISBN: 0-449-00671-9. | |
Learning From Practice, A Professional Development Text for Legal Externs, Second Edition, J.P. Ogilvy, Leah Wortham and Lisa Lerman, (2007) ISBN 978-0-314-15284-8. | |
In Chambers: A Guide for Judicial Clerks and Externs, Jennifer Sheppard (2012), ISBN 978-1-4548-0289-1. (recommended) |
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