Part of the paralegal, or legal assistant, training materials prepared by the National Paralegal Institution under a Federal grant, the text comprises an overview of the basic legal concepts usually found in introductory law courses concerning contracts, torts, and the due process area of constitutional law. Part 1, Contracts, covers: definition, mutual assent--offer and acceptance, consideration, legal capacity of parties, lawfulness, parol evidence rule, third party beneficiaries, breach of contract, and applying the law of contracts. Part 2, Torts, discusses: definition, intentional torts, defenses to intentional torts, negligence, defenses to negligence, torts by public officials, strict liability torts, nuisance, and misrepresentation. Part 3 defines due process through examination of the Bill of Rights and the step-by-step procedures of three cases. (EA)