As Americans, it’s easy to take our system of justice for granted. True, it is imperfect. But it’s miles ahead of most of the world, and provides a basis for much of our prosperity — modern economies rely on a system of laws.

Mexico finally learned that lesson and is reforming its legal system.

Mexico is in the midst of a legal revolution, and Cristal Gonzalez is on the front lines.

The U.S.-trained lawyer is one of a growing number of Mexican attorneys putting judges, lawyers, investigators and clerks through crash courses in justice, now that Mexico has amended its constitution to throw out its inept and corrupt legal system.

Some of her lessons may seem blindingly obvious. Yet they drive home just how dysfunctional are Mexico’s courts and police.

On a recent evening, the 30-year-old lawyer explained Mexico’s new rules of justice to a class of 200 professionals with the clarity of a preschool teacher: “The accused is IN-NO-CENT until proven guilty! Confessions cannot be coerced. Which means the person cannot be submitted to …?” She paused for a response.

“Torture,” several students answered in unison.

Under the constitutional amendment passed by the legislature, approved by all 32 states and signed by President Felipe Calderon, Mexico has eight years to replace its closed proceedings with public trials in which defendants are presumed innocent, legal authorities can be held more accountable and justice is equal.

Calderon says Mexico’s democratic and economic development depends on this judicial reform — along with fiscal and electoral changes he has pushed through Congress.

The country has tried to overhaul its major government institutions since 2000 when voters ended 71 years of rule by the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI — notorious for using the electoral and legal systems to maintain its hold on power.

Supporters of the change say Mexico has been missing out on millions in foreign investment because of its reputation as a lawless country where people are arrested randomly and criminals pay off judges — problems Calderon says also hamper the fight against organized crime.