"When California was first admitted to the Union, pioneers were busy prospecting for new fortunes, building towns and cities - and suing each other. San Francisco became the epicenter of a litigious new world being cobbled together from gold dust and sand dunes. Its federal court, the US District Court for the Northern District of California, set precedents that decided the fate of Mexican land grants and shanghaied sailors and established civil rights for Chinese immigrants. Through the era of Prohibition and the growing labor movement to World War II and on into the tumultuous sixties and seventies, this court's historic rulings have defined the San Francisco Bay Area's geography, culture, and commerce. The Court That Tamed the West presents the region's history through a new lens, offering insight along with great storytelling. From the gold rush to the Internet boom, the US District Court for the Northern District of California has played a major role in how business is done and life is lived on the Pacific Coast"--Unedited summary from book cover.