Law Books

it is alright-pretty simple and straight-forward.kind of like textbooks in school for how to write different types of papers.helpful for someone who is handling legal affairs pro se.

Great Resource for anyone interested in Legal work....full of information for all kinds of work from Legal Assistant to Paralegal to Legal Secretary.

I found this book very interesting. I am not divorced nor married, but the book provides a wealth of information to know before entering into marriage. Protecting oneself is key and I feel Divorce for Dummies opened my eyes to what I did not realize.

Divorce for Dummies is a thorough overview of the divorce process and ways to make it easier and less expensive. I know the authors from interviewing them for my Internet radio show, [...] and other articles, and I know they are very careful in the resources and information they present. I also believe they really do have the consumer's best interest at heart.

As a consumer educator myself, I know some of the information -- especially related to finances -- is crucial. I've talked with so many people over the years who have been burned because they thought everything was taken care of with the divorce decree. Unfortunately, that's not the final word on how things will work out! That is especially true with regard to credit. If you have joint accounts PLEASE read their warnings or you may likely get stuck with your ex's bad credit for years.

Even if you have a great divorce attorney, he or she won't have time to cover all the topics in this book with you, so I recommend it to make sure you're well-informed. One more caveat -- make sure you get the 2nd edition of this book, which is the most recent!

I prefer books that are state specific such as Texas Family Law Guide, Louisiana Family Law Guide, etc.

Overall this book covers a lot of important topics with regards to the whole divorce process with good explanations and definitions. While some areas could have gone into more detail and perhaps provided some worksheets or step by steps guides, I don't think any (critical) issues were left out. While some other books I've seen stated the obvious and left you thinking "well duh"...this book had good information throughout.

This book hit on many topics and is a good reference book to use throughout the various stages of your divorce. Touches on a wide variety of things and generally answers some questions you might have. Some advice in this book I did not see in other divorce books such as what to do about debt in both of your names. Outlines what to do about credit card debt in both names as well as mortgage debt in both names. Mortgage debt is harder to get out of your name even if your spouse is awarded the asset. You are both still liable for mortgage debt until it is paid off or refinanced. Even if your divorce decree says that your former spouse is responsible for paying it. Book tells you how to communicate with credit card companies in regard to protecting your credit.
This book is worth reading because you will probably learn at least a few things you did not previously know.

The Gilbert Law Summaries series provides some of the best study guides out there for harried law students. The great advantage of the Gilbert approach is the logical layout of concepts in an outline format, helping you digest vast areas of laws in manageable chunks. When it comes to Constitutional Law, the subject is just so enormous by nature that it makes this particular book longer and denser, somewhat betraying the Gilbert goal of a summarized study guide. For that reason, this book would be better utilized for periodic reviews throughout your course, rather than as a cramming aide right before the exam. Those difficulties are due to the subject matter, not the publisher, but there are some other internal faults that hold this guide back from true greatness.

First are the annoying and snooty section numbers, particularly as used in the index, as regular old page numbers would be much easier to manage. The flowcharts and textboxes are mostly useless because they are just too simplified, and merely reproduce text that you already read by putting boxes around it (for the best flowcharts for the thinking law student, see the Aspen CrunchTime series). This book is also loaded with typos, such as "must generally past muster" on page 302 or "The government action is consti-" in a predictably under-achieving flowchart on page 280. Like all of the Gilbert Law Summaries, this one does a fine job of supplementing your learning, but for the above reasons it's not quite totally dependable as a study aide during stress week. [~doomsdayer520~]

If you are considering personal bankruptcy, will satisfy the new means test or have a steady w-2 income you may want to file bankruptcy under Chapters 7 or 13. If you are considering one of the chapters, this is a great book for you. For businesses or individuals with more substantial assets or income, the appropriate Chapter would be Chapter 11. The book that I like on that subject is Chapter 11 Business Reorganizations: For Business Leaders, Accountants And Lawyers

I'm surprised on the great quality. Nice packaging and fast delievery helped allowed me to get right to work. Thank you.

Stephen Elias et al., How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Twelfth Edition (Nolo Press, 2005)

Well, I missed the boat on this one. I'd hoped the 2005 12th edition would cover the bankruptcy law changes in some detail, but nope-- this one still covers the old laws. If you're thinking about filing for bankruptcy now, you will likely be better off waiting for Elias' new one, he New Bankruptcy: Will It Work for You? (Nolo, 2006).At this point, it really only has value as an archival document, or something you pick up for background reading while waiting for the new book (after all, not everything in bankruptcy law has changed; you'll still get some valuable info out of this).

The book does an excellent job of explaining why, in general, you don't really need a lawyer to file Chapter 7. Elias etc. go through the forms line-by-line, with copious explanation and recommendations of when you will need a lawyer based on your answers to a number of the questions.

Solid stuff, I just with I'd gotten to it earlier. Now, I'm in the same boat you are-- waiting for the new one (which was supposed to drop Dec. 19, 2005, but oesn't seem to have seen the light of day yet). *** ½

This review refers to the 13th edition of the book, which does cover the new bankruptcy law revision of 2006. Please read the editorial and customer reviews as to why this book was so helpful.

The author does a good job explaining how to file your own bankruptcy "pro se" (which means you are your own attorney and responsible for finding the answers to your own legal questions.)

At the time the 13th edition was printed, the author didn't know if any of the state bankruptcy courts would grant an indigent filer relief from the bankruptcy filing fee. This is because there was a difference between the federal agency that created the exemption document and the agency that says such requests can be granted. Apparently, this difference of opinion has since been resolved. In my state, Washington, the judge did grant me exemption from filing the court fee, a savings of over [...].

My bankruptcy was a pretty straightforward chapter 7, even though I had taken out a business license as a sole proprietor. As I had no clients and no business income, I could go ahead and file as an individual.

The author commends the reader for having taken charge of their financial crisis and having made the difficult decision to file for bankruptcy. It would also have been helpful if he'd included a few helpful tips on emotional and mental preparation. For example, people under stress tend to forget common sense advice like: get enough sleep, exercise, and healthy food. Organize all your financial records in a quiet and neat environment, etc. Write down what you've done and what you need to accomplish. And so forth.

In my case, because I could have been better organized, I ended up paying two times an amendment fee because I forgot to include all creditors on my mailing matrix and other related forms.

(As a side note, many credit card companies own their own credit collections agencies with completely different names. To be on the safe side, list both the original creditor and the "collection agency" that they supposedly "sold" the debt to in your bankruptcy forms. However, when totaling the debt, do not count the same amount twice. On your mailing matrix, include both the original creditor and any collection agencies they have sold their debt to. This will cover your rear end. If you list only the collection agency and not the original creditor, you might be responsible for paying off the debt because the original creditor wasn't listed in your bankruptcy forms.)

Student loans are usually not discharged but you should go ahead and list them anyway so the judge knows your total debt load.

Most filers choose to hire an attorney. I was one of three people who chose to go "pro se" out of over 30 filers. That really surprised me. My meeting with the trustee lasted less than five minutes.

Just because someone goes with an attorney doesn't mean that attorney will be complete and thorough. I witnessed two attorneys who did not properly prepare their clients for potential questions the trustee asked, all of which are described in this book in a special listing. In my case, the trustee did not ask all the questions listed in the book but I was sure glad the author listed them so I could be prepared in case he did choose to ask them. Did those people get their money's worth? I don't know.

The creditor's meeting is when you can tell the trustee if there have been any changes since you first filed for bankruptcy. Since this meeting is recorded now is the time to tell them. In my case, I reported assets I had failed to list (hobby supplies, etc.), assets that had been stolen from my home this month, and a car I no longer owned as it had been auctioned off by a towing company.

The two biggest reasons people file for bankruptcy are medically related and poor credit card usage. Both those reasons fit my profile. (Actually, I was very good at using a credit card as I remember charging them to the limit.) I cut up all my credit cards and now use only my debit card, cash, or checks. I now have a financial budget and feel like a load has been lifted off my shoulders.

The only reason I have for repairing my credit rating is if I choose to buy a house. At this time I don't have any plans for doing so. However, for those who do want to improve their credit score, your best bet is to see if your local credit union or bank will give you a secured credit card, which will only allow you to "charge" amounts that you have placed in a special account tied to the card. It is a combinations debit and credit card. You can only "charge" what is in your secured account but you get the protection and benefits of a credit card.

The new law states that filers must take a pre and post budget class. These cost money in Washington state.

If you choose to go "pro se" but hire a typist to prepare your documents, you are still responsible for all the information contained in the forms.

Beware that your filing is public knowledge. I was surprised at the number of predatory lenders that sent me mail immediately after I filed. There was also one attorney who sent me a solicitation letter. You must shred all these letters for your own good.

This is the most recent Chapter 7 Bankruptcy book from NOLO, published May 2006.
Another one will be published April 2007, ISBN 1413306276.
I trust Nolo books with my eye closed, their legal content is totally updated ! ... I am a big Nolo fan!used many of their books!
Check out The New Bankruptcy - Will it Work for You?

I got the book just in time and it was in the promised condition. I would buy from this vendor again.

I have one major point of contention with this author. What I will be referencing is found in her field notes on ODD and chapter seven. I believe that Ferguson is arguing that psychologists are not fairly diagnosing African American students, and labeling them with disorders like ODD without taking into account the external circumstances. She points out that African-American males are disproportionately in special education. First, she says that D'Andre is a part of a growing number of adolescents diagnosed with a personality disorder. She says "the APA goes to pains to underscore the origins of the disorder as within the individual and not the result of external circumstances." She also says that "diagnosticians are instructed to discount the social environment and reject any claims on the part of the individual that external forces have contributed to the problem." She then goes to to say that we need to look at the unreasonable circumstances that led to D'Andre's actions, unreasonable circumstances she feels the psychologists ignore. The reason I bring up this as a major point of contention is because she has all her information incorrect in this section. Often when I am confronted with psychology information in my education classes I asked one of my friends for clarification of the matter. I believe she is a highly qualified person to comment on anything psychology related. I talked to her about the author's claims about ODD and she was amazed at the backwardness of the information.

First, the author claimed that D'Andre was a part of growing number of adolescents diagnosed with a personality disorder. My friend said that is is impossible to label anyone under 18 years old with a personality disorder and that any psychologist who would do so would lose their license. Perhaps the author misspoke and meant to say that D'Andre is a part of a growing number of adolescents with behavioral disorders. Second, these are quotes from the DSM, "judgments about personality functioning must take into account the individual, cultural, ethnic and social backgrounds in providing any diagnosis." The last quote that I feel goes against what Ferguson suggests is, "Anti-Social P.D. appears to be associated with low socio-economic status and urban settings. Concerns have been raised that diagnosis may at times be misapplied to individuals in settings which seemingly anti-social behaviors may be a part of protective survival strategies. In assessing anti-social traits, it is helpful for the clinician to consider social and economic context in which behaviors occur." I bring this point up because the author characterizes psychologists as part of the problem, but the actual writing suggests something else. She indites the APA in a conspiracy to help place labels of personality disorders and ODD on African-American students. She also very blatantly twists quotes from the DSM and APA writings. I will give her the benefit of the doubt that perhaps the school psychologist at Rosa Parks school was doing what she claimed, but she applied that to all of the psychological field.

Her inclusion of the ODD section and her comments suggest that she is spinning information to fit her preconceived hypothesis and also makes me suspect of other conclusions she draws. By how big of a deal my friend is making it suggests to me even further the inappropriateness of Ferguson's comments. I do admit though that this is a small portion of the book but I felt the attention to this detail needed to be made.

There were good points in the book, but I highly suspect some of her conclusions.

When do the black kids take responsibility for their behavior? How can the school help them to do this? To be sure, it is shameful for schools to overly punish black youngsters. At the same time, what does one say to black youngsters who devalue school or use it as an avenue to act out certain stereotypes or cultural dilemmas--when the acting out is self-destructive.

We are caught in a cycle of acting out what Richard Wright called the "Bad N*****" archetype--that is, Bad Thomas, who did not care if he was beaten or lynched, and who remained unbowed before "white" (that is, illegatimate) authority. His heroism was in remaining unbowed.

The author would have done better by searching for the bilateral influences (cultural, stereotypical, archetypical, and developmental): that is, how being "tough" (read: a "hero" on one side, "bad," "unbowed" on the other) affects school personnel. Having done that, she could then make recommendations about how to extract ourselves (both children and adults) from this two-way morass of two-way screwy, self-destructive behaviors and reciprocal archetypes, Bad Thomas on one side and Simon Legre on the other.

Bad Boys, a social science book, is about how African American males are perceived in the school system by school faculty. In this book told by Ann Arnett Ferguson, she follows some eleven and twelve year old boys who are labeled as "unsalvageable", "troublemakers", or "schoolboys." Boys that were labeled "unsalvageable" meant that there is no hope for them and that they would probably make it into the court system at a young age and be lucky to make it to high school. The "troublemakers" were identified as those who got into trouble. The "schoolboys" were those who were labeled as doing well. This book shows how African American boys were looked upon in the school systems.
This book has many good and many bad points in it. The fact that it is written kind of like her own journal was something that I saw as helpful. It made it an easy read. Interviewing the parents and children also made it something easy to read. The interviews were what I though made it the most interesting. It was fun to see what the parents were saying to their kids and also what the kids thought.
The interviewing that she did was good in some ways and in other ways I think she could have improved the book by doing a little more interviewing. What I mean is that when she did interview the children she seemed to do well. However in my opinion I think that if she would have done a little more interviewing with the teachers and the parents then it would have helped her research. I know that this book is about the African American students, however if she would have let us know more of the opinions of the parents and or teachers then I think this book would have improved. When she talks about the teachers in this book she is always talking about how they sent the kids to the office or how they let this kid get away with something but not another one. Most of the time the kids that were labeled the "troublemakers" did not get much leeway on messing around like some of the other kids did. I did like how they interviewed some of the parents. I also believe that if she would have interviewed some of the white kids to see what they thought and how they viewed the African Americans then it would have been a little more interesting.
The interviews in the part "The Real World" made the story come to life. I think that the interview that she did with the parents made us as the readers understand what their home life was like and how their parents were raising them. The interview with Terrence's parents gives us an idea of how home life is in this neighborhood. Terrence's parents want him to succeed in life. They want him to know that everything he does reflects who and how he acts as a person. Terrence's parents want him to know that even the way he dresses reflects on how people are going to look at him and view him. This interview lets us know that the parents really do want their kids to succeed and don't want to see them failing or in trouble.
One thing that I though should have been different were her little field notes. Many of the times they could have been incorporated into the chapters. I had no clue why she had to make them as extra side notes. In some cases in the book it would have made more sense to put them in when she was talking about that subject. Also on the side notes sometimes they seemed to drag on a little too long. For example, in the mothering field note I think that she could have cut out a bunch of that. I know that she made it feel like a conversation but I felt like much of the conversation was repetitive. I think to make things easier in this situation she could have made it shorter by summarizing what the mother was saying.
One other thing that needs to be addressed is the fact that this book was the fact that it looked like Ann was looking for the kids to be troublemakers. She did not go into this book with an open mind. I think she went in with a closed mind and a preconceived notion that African American males are troublemakers. You can see in the way that she writes this book that she already believes that African American children get treated different then other races.
All in all this was a decent book. There are a couple of thinks that could have been done to improve it. If the interviews were a little more diverse and she would have went at going to do her fieldwork with an open mind then she could have produced a better book. Don't get me wrong though the way it was written like a journal and the interviews with the parents did make it a good book. There however is always room for improvement.

I was excited to begin reading this book and to learn how the school system unproportionately suspended and disciplined African American males. I was not expecting to learn how the author related the concept of masculinity and discipline into cause and effect paradigm. Even though this class and other sociological classes have taught me to think for myself, ask questions, and expand on concepts presented to me, I am in agreement with the theories and evidence that the author, Ann Arnett Ferguson, presents in her book.
The book begins with an introduction of the community that Rosa Parks Elementary School belongs to. Ferguson is conducting her research here for her doctorate. She has many forms of observing and gathering data needed for her thesis. Sometimes she is a "fly on the wall", a quiet observer. Other times Ferguson is more involved in participant groups, tutoring, and one-on-one interviews. She gathers the most information and insights through her interviews with the children that attend the school and their families. She credits the interview sessions as a valuable way to let the children ask her questions, gain her trust, and for her to develop a deeper understanding of her own strengths and weaknesses and those of her interviewees.
After observing the pupils of the school in the hallways, after school tutoring sessions, and inside the classroom, Ferguson makes an important discovery that becomes the foundation of her research. Her breakthrough came when she stumbled upon two small rooms in the school. These rooms provided discipline, punishment, and seclusion for students who were not following the classroom or school rules. The first room, used for minor infractions, was known throughout the population of the students as "The Punishing Room". The other room was reserved as a place for students who receiving in-school or after-school suspension, anywhere from one to three days. This space was called "The Jailhouse". Files with children's names on it were stored in these rooms to document that more frequent visitor's deviant behavior. While observing the caliber of students in these two rooms, it does not take long for Ferguson to see two important details: the students who are often in trouble are usually African American and male. Teachers that were interviewed notice this discrepancy as well but cannot offer any well substantiated reasons why this occurs. Over the course of her three years of research at Rosa Parks Elementary School, Ferguson comes up with evidence to explain this phenomenon.
Ferguson argues that rather than simply internalizing the negative labels bestowed on them by teachers and school personnel, the African American boys look critically at schooling as they dispute and evaluate the meaning and motivation behind the labels that have been attached to them. In a school were students are judged by their class, race, and gender, many negative labels and stereotypes are presented to students. It is up to the individual if they want to internalize these beliefs or prove the stereotypes wrong. A major conflict that lies within the male gender is that they feel compelled to exert and portray their masculinity. Their "reputations" center around whether they are "hard" or "soft", and this is very important to their self esteem and self worth. "[...] kids recoup a sense of self as competent and worthy under extremely discouraging work conditions. Sadly, they do this by getting in trouble" (Ferguson, 22). The author continues by arguing that sex as well as race are powerful markers of difference, and can be used as explanations as to why children act they way they do. Each race and gender category has different and unique expectations on how children should act and be disciplined. The expectations from family, friends, and school personnel commonly conflict and cause confusion and deviant behavior on the part of the children.
Ferguson's arguments are coherent and well-researched opinions on why school discipline minority male children in a stricter form than most of the student body. I especially agree with the author's ascertain that teachers can be held directly responsible for perpetuating negative predictions about a student's future. On page 227 Ferguson strengthens this point by saying, "[...] school personnel made predictive decisions about a child's future based on whole ensemble of negative assumptions about African American males and their life-chances". The beginning of the book cites examples of white and black teachers referring negatively to a student's chance of staying out of jail. Ferguson states that most boys she interviewed did not see themselves this way. Rather, they portrayed themselves in a positive light. This is one point that I disagree with. Ferguson states that she does not give much merit to the labeling theory. I hold the belief that when teachers voice the grim options of students, they perpetuate a self-fulfilling prophecy that harms that student's self esteem and contributes to their "need" to act out in school.
At the end of the book in the chapter labeled "Dreams", Ann Ferguson states that the inclusion of Black English would benefit the students who come from families where this language is spoken. She argues that this would lessen the hostile environment and feelings of disattachment that many African Americans face. Ferguson believes that this would increase the valuable social linguistic environment of the school and provide validation for black students, especially males. I am not sure I agree with this plan. I can see the value of the learning Ebonics and promoting it in the school system, but I also believe that learning proper English is more valuable for students, because it helps them to get jobs and succeed more in the future.
In conclusion, Ferguson's book is a valuable tool in discerning the unequal disciplinary action that plagues most schools. Understanding the mindset and background of male African American students will benefit teachers, school personnel, and more importantly the students' chances for success.

Suggested reading for pre-law school students, this book contains the representing attorney's actual story about a lawsuit involving the coal industry. The terminology, processes and struggles included in the story, as well as the lawyer's thought-processes and actions introduce the reader to the real world of legal advocacy, which is not parallel to the Law & Order dramas on television. If you're contemplating entering the legal profession, this book narrates one situation with enough detail to give you a feel for the work you may be doing.

This book was on my law school reading list. I was supposed to read it before school started but never got around to it. Now that I've graduated, I decided to read it. I enjoyed the beginning. I was stirred by the description of what happened when the dam broke. I perceived empathy in the author's tone. Immediately, I was pulling for the victims, regardless of whether they were significantly impacted by the flood or only had minimal contact with the disaster. But, as the book went on, the tone changed. I felt like it was more a story about Stern. The author seemed to become more boastful. It also seemed like he spent a long time thoughtfully writing the beginning of the book, then rushed to finish it at the end. The end was not as compelling as the beginning. The end was slightly unsatisfying. Overall, this is an interesting book that tells the story of what happened in Buffalo Creek and a self-appraisal of how Stern thinks his lawyering was during the case. The downside is that the end turned into a story about Stern's "win" in negotiating a settlement instead of a win for the victims. The book would also be well-served by print of a second edition with an epilogue. You'll end up asking yourself how much the survivors really did win, and whether there truly was a lasting impact on coal companies.

Well I will concede that this staple of civil procedure classes in law school is a good read, but let's do the math. When you see what Stern's firm took and you see what the victims got, we know that the law firms were the winner's here and the people who lost their lives and homes with all their possessions did not fair very well at all. For that reason, it's probably a good introduction to class action litigation.

I was assigned to read this for my Civil Procedure class in law school. Although I dreaded reading it, once I started, I could not put it down. As a law student (or if you are a lawyer for that matter), this was a great insight into how a lawsuit is constructed on such a grand scale. Even if you have no interest in law, Stern manages to tell such a compelling story, I would recomend this book to anyone. It provides great insight into the operations of a corrupt coal company, a state and region at the industry's mercy, and people who felt helpless when their lives were destroyed by the mining company's negligence and the state's oversight. A definite must read.

I too had to read this book for my Civil Procedure class. Let me start off with the positive. With the coal disaster that just happened in Utah, I thought it was quite interesting that the response was the exact same by the coal mining owners. Both Piston / Buffalo Mine Co. (from the book) and the Utah mine owner prematurely said the disasters were an "act of God," without yet knowing all of the facts. And I do think Stern did a good job at getting the reader very upset with the coal companies. However, that was where the positives ended for me.

First off, there were so many spelling / grammar errors, that I lost count. Did Stern have someone proof read the book? The errors are so obvious, I can't believe someone didn't catch it. Now, as for the substance of the book, Stern provides WAY too much detail. He could have cut the book literally in half. I know Civil Procedure teachers like this book since it is so comprehensive and talks about diversity and all that, but I just felt like there was way too much unnecessary detail in the book. Although, I read through all the boring / unnecessary parts, because I thought it would be a good ending. Wrong! By the title of the book I expected that the plaintiffs would be set for life. Which was hardly the case. I don't want to give away the final number, but let's just say that at the very beginning Piston offered $10,000 each for the wrongful deaths. And after all the time and energy, the plaintiffs only got $13,000 each. And they actually got a lower amount because in their net recovery had to be adjusted for the expenses and legal fees of the case paid to the lawyers. In fact, Stern doesn't even list a net amount, adjusted for legal fees and expenses, that the plaintiffs took in because I think it would be too embarrassing. Ok granted, that Stern was able to get the original 200 something plaintiffs up to 625 because he filed for the each person, even the children, and not just the families. Thus, the families did take in more than they would have gotten originally, since it around $13,000 each compared to $10,000 as a family as a whole. But I would hardly say that they beat Piston. Stern had originally asked for $64 million; which in settlement talks immediately went down to almost half that at $32.5 million. Then he was trying to negotiate between their high number and Piston's low number of $3 million. And if you think he even got the middle number between 32.5 and 3--well, you would be wrong. I actually think Piston won! They had insurance to up to $17 million. And well, the settlement number was way below that. This made me so mad because I do think Stern had made a case for wanton and reckless and not just negligence. I know this was in the 70's and everything must be adjusted for inflation, but I still don't think this was a great number. Basically what happened is that the plaintiffs just got the same initial settlement that Piston offered, but it was for each person affected by the disaster including the children. This is hardly a win in my book. And what about the people that maybe just lost a spouse and they had no children between them? They would have been better off just settling immediately. They could have gotten the money right away. Stern at the beginning of the book laughed off Piston's $10,000 wrongful death settlement amount. But isn't this just what the plaintiffs got for their lost ones except years later?

What is very interesting is that Stern and his lawyers got off with a cool $3 million. And he boasts "sometimes you do well by doing good." He is way too self-righteous. Just because the lawyers may have done well doesn't mean the plaintiffs did well. And just because he calls it a "win" doesn't mean that it is such. After everything that these people went through, I feel they got screwed twice over, first by Piston/ Buffalo Mining Coal Co. and then by a self-righteous lawyer who made bank off of them. And Piston / Buffalo made off fairly well. Will someone who liked this book please explain to me how the plaintiffs "won?" Because I just don't get it.

I got my book within the time specified and was exactly as the seller described it. I am very pleased with my purchase.

This book is of course informative. It is comprehensive. But what sets it apart is the fact that it is very educative and well written. The authors ask you to think deeply about the philosophy behind the "right" to pass down property to one's heirs, and then proceed to complicate conventional wisdom by pointing out that this is by no means a "right" in many places on planet earth. They also complicate the picture further by furnishing examples from French and Spanish common law as well as outstanding examples from Indian and slave law. How should the federal government properly discharge its trust obligations to Indian tribes? How can property own property? Very vexing questions indeed.

Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. I'm not a lawyer, just a DIY autodidact, and I appreciate this book's intellectual substance immensely, not just its command of the facts. This seventh edition is current and anticipates the 2010 and 2011 anticipated "changes" to the tax code, along with some excellent insight.

Don't just get it because this casebook provides good "training" on the subject of Wills, Trusts, and Estates. Get it because the enthusiasm the authors bring to the subject shines through on almost every page and because this is a very important subject that every citizen in a "democracy" like ours needs to know.

I was very happy with my purchase. It came in the condition as promised and sooner than expected. I would definitely purchase again from this seller. Thanks!

I love this book. The authors do a great job of selecting interesting cases, covering the material thoroughly, and adding humorous footnotes that together make this the best textbook in law school.

This is an excellent textbook on Wills and Trusts. I received the book on
time in mint condition. Case Closed.

"How to Get into Law School" is perfect for anyone in law school, applying to law school, or thinking about maybe applying to law school. I first read this book three years ago, and at that time I was thinking about maybe applying to law school. "How to Get into Law School" not only convinced me that law school was the right decision for me, but it also provided a road map. By carefully following the advice in this book over the course of a few years, I am pleased to report that I will be attending one of the finest law schools in the country as the recipient of a substantial merit scholarship. Overall, I fared better in the application process than friends of mine with better grades, better LSAT scores and better careers. Take it from me, this book is gold.

Whether this book will actually help you get into the law school of your choice is debatable. First of all, the advice is geared towards students who REALLY want to get into a school that seems to be JUST out of reach for them: it instructs you to stalk the dean of admissions, make phone calls and send follow-ups. This might give you an edge to get in somewhere that your numbers may not ordinarily merit, but in my case, these "tips" simply were not pertinent at all.

Part of what kept me reading was the author's informal language and tone. At first, it seemed like frank advice from a no-nonsense woman. By the end, I was completely put off. Susan Estrich comes across as a complete snob who uses lots of words and drops a lot of names without saying anything. There is no compassion or genuine interest in her audience. It seemed to me like this woman just enjoys hearing herself talk about her powerful friends and berating her readers, whom she seems to assume are all mindless dolts.

I found it especially irritating that she included a chapter on how miserable lawyers are; how the suicide rate among lawyers is SO high; and how any lawyer would never want his children to follow in his footsteps. Considering this is a book for men and women who either want to go to law school or are already there, it was an awkward choice for Estrich to make.

There were a few good points. I did enjoy reading the author's take on the current system of law school rankings. She also gave some inspiring tips on what makes a good personal statement. The section specifically for female lawyers was interesting, and the book has a feminist slant to it overall.

I read this book in the course of an afternoon. Consider it an entertaining beach read this summer for all you kids applying to law school in the fall.

How to Get Into Law School, by Prof. Estrich, has been abundantly helpful to me as I make my way through the admissions process. Her advice is frankly honest and substantially more insightful than the resources I have come across to date. It cannot do anything but help any law school applicant in their odyessy through admissions. Check out her specific advice on getting the right recommendations letters, how to write your personal statment and how to choose the right school for you. Reading this gift of insider info, left me feeling like I had just been let in on the biggest secrets of how to gain admission. Prof. Susan Estrich KNOWS and delivers more pertinent info than a multitude of the commerical LSAT and Law Admissions volumes put together. Best of luck to you on your journey! Send your prayers above for mine, I. Tanvishut, New Orleans, LA.

I am a law school admission consultant. When I was acting as director of Admissions at California Western School of Law, I attended a conference of law school admission professionals in Phoenix. Professor Estrich spoke at this convention and she mentions that speech in the book as her "introduction" to law school admission issues. I admire the author considerably and, as a result, read this book. (I previously read "The Case for Hillary Clinton")

There's a common theme in both; Prof. Estrich likes to mention all the fabulously brilliant and famous people who are among her best friends. Most of the book is name-dropping. She quotes other people (the same people that write the book jacket comments in some cases) and while this makes for an entertaining read and provides some "wow" factor, it's not all that informative for the person looking for advice about law school applications.


While I think the author is right on the mark about looking outside the rankings and picking geography over U.S. News, her actual admission experience seems limited to writing a few letters of rec for her friends' children. (A practice that makes me grimmace - for reasons you can read about on my blog at http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com)

The first half of this book is about getting into law school and the 2nd half is about what to do once you're there. I didn't read the second half of the book.

I'd rather law school applicants take advice from Prof. Estrich than from the commercial books out there by big companies and people without a lot of credibility. But this isn't a fantastic book if you're looking for advice about applying. (Anna Ivey's book is better - just don't read the sample personal statements she includes). Prof. Estrich's book might be worth reading if you're trying to decide where to attend law school because her points in this regard are noteworthy.

I always caution applicants against "one size fits all" law school application advice. As the proprietor of www.lawschoolexpert.com, I have helped more than 500 law school applicants reach their dreams in the last 3 years and my full time job is helping people apply to law school. I do recommend this book on my blog, mostly for the rankings analysis.

Overall, its pretty good compared to several I've read. Estrich has some downsides...she assumes you are applying to a "top" law school. For the thousands of us each year desiring to attend law school who aren't in the elite in terms of LSAT, gpa, etc., or perhaps just dont want to attend Yale, Harvard, Berkeley, etc., this may not be the best choice of book to fit your needs. The advice is really universal, just slanted toward the ivy league as if its the only way to go.

Also, paralegals beware: Estrich will offend you. I believe she writes "why be a lesser version of what you really want to be." Did she say "lesser"? Yes, she did. Ouch. As a paralegal of 10 years, I didn't at all care for her biased attitude. She basically portrays paralegals as people who run a xerox all day and have no place in law school.

Mr. Ayoob has just done readers in the U.S. a great service by writing this book. This book is essential reading for policy makers, students and anyone who really wants to understand what's going on in the Islamic world.

The main problem with many books from the West on Islam and "Islamism" (political Islam) is that they are written from a Western perspective, and so they have inherent biases within them. This is of course a big part of the misunderstandings we have with this part of the world, the fact that we only see these societies and groups through the prism of our own standards and values which is not always concurrent with their own values. Indeed we seem to rarely ever be in synch with the realities of the area. This book puts political Islam into a vernacular that is ready for consumption by a U.S. audience.

One of the most interesting things I found was the author's discussion of the affects that contact with democracy, no matter how limited the democracy, has had on Islamic political groups. The Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Hizbullah and many other groups have had contact with some forms of democratic participation with varying degrees of success. The Muslim Brotherhood went from being a group that was suppressed to being allowed limited participation in elected government. When it became clear how much support they had they were once again violently suppressed. The question becomes will they continue down the path of moderation and participation or will their suppression lead to frustration and a recurrence of violence. The Mubarak and U.S. governments have a lot to say about what happens in the future to this group, if they decide that this group is to dangerous and must be suppressed there is a good chance that parts of the organization will become disillusioned and may resort to violence, but if they are allowed to become an active participant there is a real possibility that participation will have a further moderating affect.

Of course when one looks at the example of how Hamas was treated the prospects do not look good. One of the main points from Mr. Ayoob's is just how much of a moderating affect democratic participation can have on Islamic groups as evidenced by Turkey's AKP party. In a strange twist it is now the secularists in Turkey who have become authoritarian while it is the moderate conservative Islamic parties that have become ingrained in the political system that seems to be the voice of reason and moderation. Unfortunately Hamas' experiment in democracy seems to be heading toward abject failure due to circumstances beyond their control. They have not been given the opportunity to really join in the democratic process since they have been assailed from outside from the very beginning of their electoral victory.

This hypocrisy of the West has not gone unnoticed by the Muslim world. How the West purports to advocate democratization but only as long as the right groups get elected. The U.S. especially is generating ill will from this part of the world while at the same time pursuing policies that inhibit moderation. The rhetoric that comes from the U.S. about the moderating influence of democracy may well be true, but until we honestly pursue democratic change, no matter what the outcome for us, then we will be stuck with the same illegitimate, authoritarian regimes that are breeding grounds for disenchanted and potentially violent people. Islam is not inherently violent as some would have us believe, but just like all human beings given the right circumstances they can be forced into lashing out against the objects of their torment, whether that is authoritarian regimes or governments that back those regimes.

Mr. Ayoob does an excellent in job with very few pages detailing for the reader just how divergent political Islam really is. The author speaks of how we in the West tend to think of political Islam as being a "monolith", and he does an excellent job dispelling that myth and showing how each brand of Islamism, while many times espousing a universalistic agenda, is unique to its on context. Each Islamic group incorporates different aspects and theories of Islam to suit their unique situations. While there may be some violent, extremist elements they are a small minority. Many of these groups such as the AKP have shown themselves ready to join in the representative process and attempt to achieve their aims within the system. The author has given us plenty of examples of how democracy has a pronounced moderating affect on these Islamic organizations. It is up to us to focus our attention from the vocal and violent minority and focus our attention on helping the moderate majority, even when this help seems to be in contradiction to our own interests because in the end when these groups join the democratic process we all win.

This is a fantastic book that needs to be read and reread. I am eagerly awaiting the next publishing from this author.

I received this book in excellent condition. I needed it for an online course I'm taking. The delivery was timely and again the book was in excellent condition.

The text covers const. law powers extensively, featuring integral cases relevant to topics being discussed - fantastic!

The book was in great shape and I received it without any delays or problems. A+++++++

The book I ordered was the first I received before all others and was packaged correctly and with nothing wrong with it. I purchasing from Amazon.

I had a Constitutional Law class while an undergraduate which relied very heavily on this book, and I could not be more satisfied. While I was a chemistry major, I really enjoyed this book because it had the actual written opinions (or significant excerpts thereof) of the most important and precedent-making cases in a variety of topics of Constitutional Law. Having those opinions ready available was great, and the analysis that followed was also quite helpful to get at some of the cases with denser reasoning.

Anyway, whether for class or pleasure, a great read and highly recommended.