Editorial Review

Retaining the late Jesse Dukeminier's signature blend of wit, erudition, insight, and playfulness, Wills, Trusts, and Estates, now in its Eighth Edition, continues to offer interesting cases, well written notes, and a logical organization. A stellar example of a great casebook, Wills, Trusts, and Estates features: Eminently clear presentation of topics; Comprehensive substantive coverage; Inspired case selection; Engaging notes, questions, and problems that connect and highlight legal themes and principles; Humorous and illustrative cartoons, art, photographs, and other images; With many new and revised notes, questions, and problems, the carefully updated Eighth Edition explores: New developments in law reform by the ALI and NCCUSL, such as: The 2008 Amendments to the Uniform Probate Code, including validation of notarized wills, reformation of wills for mistake, and a reworking of the spousal share; The Uniform Power of Attorney Act; Further progress in the Restatement (Third) of Trusts and Restatement (Third) of Property; Ongoing developments in the law, in such areas as: Inheritance rights for same-sex partners; The posthumous right of publicity; The power of an agent to alter an incompetent principal's estate plan; Liberalized rules of trust modification and termination, and of trustee removal; Standing for donors in suits against the trustees of charitable trusts; Perpetual trusts and self-settled asset protection trusts; Increasingly important topics such as: The movement to cure will execution defects and reform mistakes in wills; Fiduciary administration and trust investment law; Will contests, particularly the law of capacity and insane delusion.

Co-authors Robert Sitkoff and James Lindgren took great care to preserve the voice and spirit of Jesse Dukeminier, while fulfilling the trust and expectation among users for timely and relevant coverage, cases, and note material. ... Read more

Reviews

Unnecessary update, September 25, 2009
This book is a good book, but the update is not needed. My friend next to me in class has the seventh edition of this text and comparing the eighth edition to the previous it is obvious that the publisher is just going after more money. So few pages have been updated, so few cases have been added, they could have easily issued a paperback supplement to the seventh edition and saved students money. Putting my objections to how the textbook industry operates aside, this book is a decent read. The authors do a good job of explaining the law and the cases are edited fairly well. I'm in my third year of law school and have had several different texts by now. I would place this one on the better end. The text itself - 7 of 10. Was it a necessary update - 0 of 10.

One of the best textbooks I have used for law school, December 4, 2009
This is a great textbook. It nicely balances foundational materials with the cases. The layout of the book makes for an easy outline. The rules are clear and thoroughly laid out in each section - I barely needed the supplements I bought.

I looked at someone's outline based on the last version of the text and there were a lot of cases that were missing and UPC sections that were incorrect. I did not compare books side by side but my prof. focused a lot on the things that have recently changed so the old version of the text would not have been that helpful for our class. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Underwater on your home? Don't know what to do?Let one of the the nation's leading experts guide you to the right decision.In Underwater Home, Professor White addresses all your concerns and helps you work through the emotions and practical realities of being underwater on your home. He explains your options and gives you the facts that will empower you to make the best decision for your family, free from guilt or fear, and with clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.Underwater Home is both an emotional and practical guide for the underwater homeowner. Professor White explains when it makes financial sense to stay in your underwater home and when it makes sense to get out.And he offers no-nonsense insight into how to negotiate with your lender.If you're underwater on your home, you can't afford not to read this book. ... Read more

Reviews

White will challenge your preconceptions on this topic, but also on how you view the consumer/producer relationship as a whole., December 3, 2010
This is a book beyond the false parity of 'he said/she said'. White delivers a solid rationality-based hook to the baseless, glossy-brochure corporatists and media analysts who blame the homeowners and working people for the financial crisis.

White writes decisively and pulls you along with glowingly succinct reason. His logic will challenge your conceptions and leave you thinking more clearly, not just about the housing crisis, but also about how the media are used by corporate power to promulgate convenient and profitable memes.

In fact, you may recognize some of the memes in your own speech. I did. White has taught me more than one lesson.

I highly recommend this book. Read it before you read just another shouting match.

Must Read for Underwater Homeowners!!, December 21, 2010
Like so many of our friends and family, my husband and I are underwater in our home. This book allowed us a moment of clarity to set aside our fears and thoughtfully consider our options. Underwater Home is a necessary read for any underwater homeowner wondering how to cope with such a large financial burden. The book addressed each of our concerns about foreclosure, short sale and loan modification clearly and compassionately. It also educated us on the options we have available to us, and how we might begin evaluating them. Although we have a long road ahead, what a relief to have access to trustworthy foreclosure information! If you or someone you know is in this situation, I highly recommend this book.

Excellent Reviw of Underwater Homeowner's Options, December 26, 2010
I have just finished reading Professor White's book and found it extremely informative. He examines the plight of a homeowner who has an underwater mortgage and provides excellent advice as to the available options. More than that he helps demystify the choices you have and helps remove the emotion involved with the decision to walk away from an underwater mortgage.

He also provides numerous websites and simple calculations that will help you decide what is your best option. His explanations help to reduce the emotional ties a homeowner has to his house, explains them and then encourages you to make a logical decision based upon your own particular situation. He helped me make up my mind as to what I should do and I know can help others who are facing one of the most critical decisions they will ever have to make.

Highly recommend to anyone who is facing an immediate foreclosure situation or would like to know more about this subject.

One of the first to see the homeowner's point of view, November 30, 2010
Disclosure: I have not yet read this book but am ordering it now; I have avidly read everything I could get my hands on that Prof. White has written, though. He's one of the first, and maybe THE first writer out there who put an end to the emotionality of defaulting on an underwater house; far too many pundits want to demonize mortgage holders as 'deadbeats' when the reality is, it's just a business deal with foreclosure on the property being the end result of not paying the monthly mortgage; it was a deal entered into with much savvy on the bank's side, and far more innocence on the buyer's side, no matter how educated they may be. They blew up this housing bubble, making your payments larger all the while; think about it; if anyone can get a loan without 'qualifying' the way was done 40 years ago, then there's a lot more money out there for the asking, and prices will skyrocket; that's exactly what happened. The banks didn't care, they make money on the origination, the fees, and again on the securitizing and will again on the foreclosures.

Some things all borrowers should know: The money you 'borrowed' was created out of thin air; you pay far more back in interest (front loaded at the beginning of course)than the place could ever be worth in your lifetime; the banks have made even more money turning your mortgage into investments that have now blown up the world economy; and it is now coming to light that an awful lot of mortgage notes were sold without the proper paperwork, or the paperwork even being started...

Don't feel sorry for the banks, it's increasingly looking more and more like they are criminals. I'm sure Prof. White will have much more to say about it and more eloquently than I could. He's a great writer, making a complicated and nerve-wracking topic an easy and enjoyable read, and had the courage to point out what was going on long before anyone else did.

Strategic Default, December 1, 2010
Disclosure I have not yet read this book, but I've read much of what the professor has written on the subject of strategic default.

For over a year, I've been reading academic documents written by Professor Brent White, newspaper articles about "strategic default" and Op Ed pieces written by Professor White. His writing is logical, precise and very readable. I'm sure his book will deliver great value, particularly for those who are faced with the underwater home problem.

I've also enjoyed a few email exchanges with Professor White. After reading a New York Times article about strategic default which mentioned Professor White's name I contacted him and I sent him an email which, I think, provides an parallel example which might give some solace to underwater mortgage borrowers who are considering strategic default:

New York Times - BUSINESS | February 03, 2010
No Help in Sight, More Homeowners Walk Away
By DAVID STREITFELD
By June, about 5.1 million people will own a home whose value is below 75
percent of what is owed.
________________________________

As I read this article and it mentioned that institutional borrowers and
corporate borrowers seem to have no ethical qualms about abandoning their
contractual obligations to pay THEIR mortgages, I thought of another
situation which further exemplifies the double standards practiced by
financial institutions. (Do as I say, not as I do).

If you held securities in a brokerage margin account (using borrowed money
for a portion of your holdings) and the securities in your account lost
value, the financial institution holding your securities would demand that
you bring your 'equity' in the account back up to a minimum margin value
(plus a small "cushion"). If you did not do so, within a very short period
of time, they would liquidate your account and come after you for the
difference between the liquidation proceeds and the margin debt - as it
stood at the time of liquidation.

It seems homeowners now have the opportunity to turn-the-tables on financial
institutions by "liquidating" their home mortgage. It's unfortunate
homeborrowers can't go after the lenders for the money they lost as a result of
lenders providing so many loans to speculators and unqualified and incapable
borrowers.

Reasonable down payment requirements (like those for conventional mortgages)
would have prevented the lending excesses and the speculation that led to
the housing crises.

And another email reply:

Because some people seem to get 'exercised' by the concept of "strategic
default" I want you to know, I have no prejudice against people who choose
"strategic default" as the solution to the the misalignment of their home's
value to their mortgage payment (and their home equity). Actually, I believe
in the long-run the cumulative effect of the strategy will be to force the
recognition of the true risks of home ownership and mortgage borrowing and
lending, (I can't resist including here Lord Keynes' wise observation, " .
. . however, in the long-run we're all dead")*.

The strategic default strategy might even force sobriety on the Congressional banking committees, the Government Sponsored Enterprises, on 'private' mortgage investment bankers, and on HUD and the VA. And, another salutary effect of the mortgage mess is that real estate agents may never again be able to say "go ahead buy, there is no risk, you know that home values never go down" without red
flags popping-up in prospective buyers' minds. However, I am a bit concerned
about how mortgage lending and mortgage interest rates will look in a more
sober world.

... Read more

Editorial Review

Professors Fischl and Paul explain law school exams in ways no one has before, all with an eye toward improving the reader's performance. The book begins by describing the difference between educational cultures that praise students for 'right answers,' and the law school culture that rewards nuanced analysis of ambiguous situations in which more than one approach may be correct. Enormous care is devoted to explaining precisely how and why legal analysis frequently produces such perplexing situations.

But the authors don't stop with mere description. Instead, Getting to Maybe teaches how to excel on law school exams by showing the reader how legal analysis can be brought to bear on examination problems. The book contains hints on studying and preparation that go well beyond conventional advice. The authors also illustrate how to argue both sides of a legal issue without appearing wishy-washy or indecisive. Above all, the book explains why exam questions may generate feelings of uncertainty or doubt about correct legal outcomes and how the student can turn these feelings to his or her advantage.

In sum, although the authors believe that no exam guide can substitute for a firm grasp of substantive material, readers who devote the necessary time to learning the law will find this book an invaluable guide to translating learning into better exam performance. ... Read more

Reviews

The Secrets of Success are Secret No More, July 26, 2000
Getting to Maybe is a Godsend. Even for those of you who've already finished first-year, it's well worth getting.

I am the author of Planet Law School: What You Need to Know Before You Go--but Didn't Know to Ask. Unfortunately, Getting to Maybe was first published in 1999, a year after PLS, so I could not recommend it in PLS. Hence this posting, now. Even though the authors and I are competitors, and our books are published by different firms, I urge all law students to get Getting to Maybe. (For one thing, the authors' critique of the IRAC model is succinct and devastating.)

If you take doing well in law school (and becoming a good attorney) seriously, this book is a necessity.

It's so well-written that I had to force myself to put it down, and ended up reading it in just two sittings, of several hours each.

The earlier review, about the teaching of Tantric Yoga, in exactly right. With Getting to Maybe, the secrets are secret no more.

Impressive rigor, July 18, 2002
The aim of this book is to help current law students perform well on law school exams. Law school exams are famously ambiguous; hence the title of the book.

The title of the book is a play on the title of a classic book about the art of negotiation, called _Getting to Yes_. Implicit in _Getting to Maybe_ is that, unlike a negotiation, performance on law school exams does not require an exact answer or resolution.

The method by which these law professors explain this concept is especially interesting. In connection with their academic research, they propose to break down law school exams into small components, and thoroughly analyze those components. The result is a very substantial and comprehensive analysis of the structure of law school exams and the skills required to do well on these exams.

You may be asking how the professors purport to explain _all_ law school exams, for surely there are professors for whose exams these methods will not work. These professors make the interesting point that in the United States, law education is fairly uniform, and, therefore, the skills required to perform well on law school exams are fairly uniform, as well.

I read this book prior to starting law school. I found it useful primarily because I have read a number of other books about legal reasoning and the study of law and the law school experience that are more basic than the material in this book. If this is your first book regarding the study of law or peformance in law school, I would advise putting it aside in favor of a book offering a broader overview of law, its study, and law school.

Worth your time, December 21, 2003
I am a student at a top 5 law school. This book does not outline a specific system for taking exams, so if that is what you are looking for, look else where. What this book does provide is a good overview of the different types of gray areas that appear time and time again on exams. This will help you "spot the issues" and give you a feel for the kind of stuff your profs want to see written about come exam time. There are also plenty of general exam taking tips that area helpful. I have read many exam taking books, and this is the best of them. Read it early in the semester. It will help you focus on the important stuff in class and in the reading.

Everyone Needs Help at some point..., December 26, 2000
Whether you want to believe it or not...taking a law school exam is unlike any exam you took in undergrad. I found that out after I bombed my first exam, and a friend recommended this book. If you do nothing else, skip to the part where it talks about how to write an exam, how to address all the issues that your prof is looking for and "czar of the universe." "Czar" was a section that I found VERY helpful when I had to write a dissent for an exam! My school didn't really tell any of us 1Ls how to take an exam and I wish I had read this book before I even started. Don't worry about making law review or any of those other "extras" that people seem so concerned about--because if you can't perform well on an exam and spot issues in an allotted time, law review will be the least of your concerns. My contracts prof even suggested this book when prepping for his exam.

Bought this (almost) too late - don't make the same mistake!, May 16, 2006
I bought this book after my third year of law school, after being put on academic probation. Basically, I had to get my grades up in a term and a half (summer term plus a full load in the fall), or I wouldn't graduate. I wish I hadn't let things get that bad before I read this book! After reading the book and applying its theory, I was able to raise my GPA from 1.7 to 2.6. This book made a huge difference in the way I thought about classes, the way I took notes in class, the way I outlined... and I felt way more confident going into my exams. And my grades improved. That's all there is to it.

Great for improving exam writing, legal analysis, and writing skills, April 15, 2006
In my first year of law school, my legal writing tutor recommended this book. After reading it, my grades went up, which I believe was partially because of how this book helped me improve writing law school exams. It helps new law students understand what it means to "think like a lawyer." That is, it gives students a framework for analyzing complex issues.

Reading this book also significantly increased my performance in our legal writing class. At the end of my first year, my professor said my writing went from nearly the worst in the class to the best. This progress was a direct result from reading this book, improving my writing organization, and practice.

I highly recommend this book for new law students who want a head-start improving their legal analysis skills, and especially for students struggling with their legal writing. Law students have so much to read, it's hard to find more time for a book like this. But even reading a few chapters will provide students with a new paradigm for their legal analysis and writing.

This book would make a great gift for a student prior to starting law school because it is easy to read and introduces readers to subjects they will cover in their first-year courses.

Expensive and Not Helpful, November 12, 2005
I read this book early in the fall of my 1L year. At the time, I thought that the book was useful and that reading it would give me an edge over my classmates. In retrospect, the book did not give me any edge and reading the book was a waste of time.

The book does give you confidence. It leads you to think that you will be able to take apart a legal exam, reduce it to its essentials, and reason in a manner that your professors will appreciate. I guess it might be worth your reading if you need a shot of self-confidence.

But I do not think that the book will make much of a difference in how anyone does on law school exams. The authors' main point is to look for ambiguities (or "forks"). When you see something on your exam that looks ambiguous, try to explore all the ambiguities. In other words, argue in the alternative--i.e., point out that if X is said to occur, then Y results, whereas if A is said to occur, then B results. Let your professors know that you can see the little things that might produce completely different legal results.

This method is great as a theory. However, it is difficult to apply the method in an actual test setting. I remember that my first exam during my 1L year was in criminal law. I was given a long fact pattern, and I tried to apply the "Getting to Maybe" method. One problem I found was that I was pushed for time. It was not possible to discuss all the ambiguities in the amount of time allowed. The method the book suggested was just not possible in the context of my three-hour bluebook exam. There was no way I could explore all the ambiguities on the exam the way the authors suggest.

Another problem I have with the book is that it is not really giving you any special advice. Reduced to a sentence, the authors are just telling you not to be conclusory with your answers--in other words, show that certain items in the fact pattern could be argued multiple ways. This is hardly novel law school exam advice worth $22.00!

I have read reviews by people who claim that this book helped them make law review or whatever. I also know many people who have read this book and have gotten below average law school grades. I do not think that this book will make a difference in how anyone does in law school. If you are one of those people who has to read everything, because you don't want your classmates to have read something you haven't read, then by all means read this. If, on the other hand, you are concerned about using your time effectively, then you are probably better off working on your outlines or reviewing your lecture notes rather than wasting your time reading this book.

Avoid Commercial Outlines and Study Groups, October 27, 2002
Having graduated with high honors from one of the top five law schools, I relied on several of these books to identify the appropriate approach to taking law school exams. I applied the approach as follows: (1) read only those assignments provided by the professor (ignore commercial outlines, etc.); (2) take extensive notes of everything the professor says in class (and do not write down any student comments or student answers to Socratic questions); (3) organize your notes of the professor's lectures into your own outline; (4) read the professor's prior exam files, including any student answers selected by the professor as "model answers"; and (5) practice taking the professor's old exams in the few days leading up to exam day. The rationale is that your professor will be looking for you to spot those issues that he or she views as important. The more of these issues you spot, the higher your exam grade will be. Ditch those commercial outlines and study group meetings. In addition to Getting to Maybe, you should also prepare for law school by conditioning yourself to what its competition will feel like. Two excellent books that accomplish this goal are Scott Turow's One L (Harvard in the 1970s) and Scott Gaille's The Law Review (2002 book about competition at The University of Chicago Law School).

A Book Worth Your Time, January 3, 2007
I started my first year at law school with the impression--the conviction!--that someone was going to take time out of his/her lecture schedule to teach us how to write law school exams. This, of course, never happened and, after bungling through a practice midterm with a slipshod IRAC, I decided to seek some advice. My law school's academic preparation (resuscitation?) program recommended this book, and I picked it up from Amazon several weeks prior to finals.

I've generally considered test-taking "manuals" to be overly simplistic and far too general to be effective. But this book is different. It doesn't prescribe worthless "strategies" for stock scenarios (like those dreadful LSAT books), but instead attempts to get you to rethink your approach to the exam--from preparation to execution. What impressed me the most about _Getting to Maybe_ is that it makes a point not to provide pat answers, or to patch up poor preparation. Rather, it suggests new ways to think about the law, and about the scenarios that appear on law school exams.

One caveat is that, to get anything out of this book, you need to pick it up well before finals: this book tries to get you to approach law school differently, and this is something that can't be done a day before the exam. This book is worth your time--not only is the prose far more lively and entertaining than, say, that of International Shoe, but you really come away from _Getting to Maybe_ feeling like the effort was worthwhile.

An essential tool for law students, March 20, 2007
I am a law professor at the oldest night law school in San Francisco who has struggled for years to communicate to my stdents how to prepare for exams. I wish someone had told me about this book years ago. It explains cogently and distinctly why law school exams are different than those exams you did so well on in college (or you wouldn't be in law school) and why you need to start thinking differently. The book goes through the different types of questions one mught find on an exam and shows how to address them. It also provides numerous tips on how to study and how to approach exam writing. The book also does a great job of explaining a theme I have pushed for years --- that exam-writing skills are really the writing and thinking skills students will need when they become lawyers. It should be required reading in law schools. And it wouldn't hurt law professors to read the book either. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Patent your creation with the world's bestselling guide to patents!

Have a world-class idea? Ready to protect your invention from copycats? Then turn to the best resource available-- Patent It Yourself.

Attorney David Pressman takes you through the entire patent process, providing scrupulously updated information and clear instructions to help you:

Editorial Review

Wydick s Plain English for Lawyers--now in its fifth edition--has been a favorite of law students, legal writing teachers, lawyers, and judges for over 25 years.

In January 2005, the Legal Writing Institute gave Wydick its Golden Pen Award for having written Plain English for Lawyers. The Legal Writing Institute is a non-profit organization that provides a forum for discussion and scholarship about legal writing, analysis, and research. The Institute has over 1,300 members representing all of the ABA-accredited law schools in the United States. Its membership also includes law teachers from other nations, English teachers, and practicing lawyers.

The LWI award states: 'Plain English for Lawyers . . . has become a classic. Perhaps no single work has done more to improve the writing of lawyers and law students and to promote the modern trend toward a clear, plain style of legal writing.'

In 2003 Wydick retired after 32 years on the law faculty of the University of California, Davis. But he still teaches his favorite course -- a seminar in advanced legal writing for third-year law students. For the past eight summers he has also lectured at the International Legislative Drafting Institute presented in New Orleans by the Public Law Center, a joint venture of Tulane and Loyola law schools. There the audience consists of lawyers and non-lawyers from abroad who earn their living drafting legislation in many different languages. 'Teaching at the Institute,' Wydick says, 'is a precious opportunity to learn how much we English-users have in common with people who write laws in other languages.'

How does the fifth edition of Plain English for Lawyers differ from its predecessors? It remains (in size only!) a little book, small enough and palatable enough not to intimidate over-loaded law students. 'Most of the text remains the same,' Wydick says, 'but in the past seven years I ve learned some new things about writing in English, and I want to share that with the readers.' In addition, the exercises at the end of the chapters are different (a welcome change for long-time teachers who are tired of the old ones). Finally, the teacher's manual includes additional exercises that teachers can give to students who want or need extra practice. ... Read more

Reviews

A Legal-Writing Classic, September 10, 2002
This book provides great advice and practical, well-designed exercises. Once considered radical by most lawyers, the book has helped reform legal writing, teaching a generation of lawyers that their writing "should not differ, without good reason, from ordinary well-written English."

The book is also a model of effective prose. It's clear and understandable even to a first-year law student. Yet it's also valuable to seasoned lawyers, especially to those die-hard lawyers who insist that legal writing should remain dense, and often incomprehensible, just because it's always been that way.

Well-respected experts such as Wydick and Garner reject that notion. And clients, who often succeed or fail (and sometimes live or die) by their lawyers' words, should reject it too.

If only every Lawyer read this..., August 21, 2002
This book was required reading for my first year in law school. After having read through it, I am glad it was. I wish that more lawyers were required to read it.

'Plain English for Lawyers' helps everyone write effectively from the Law Student, the practicing Lawyer, the Judge on the Bench, or just somebody that wants to write a persuasive or complicated report how to

Several frequent exercises are included to give the reader an opportunity to practice. Examples are plentiful, and illustrated well.

The last chapter covers punctuation. This chapter makes the book a reference worth keeping. I would recommend to anyone needing a reference for writing briefs, memorandum, or legal correspondence to keep this book on hand.

One of those style books that ranscebds its genre., January 9, 2006
I'm a lawyer who is considered a wordsmith by colleagues and judges. This is one of the most important books I've ever encountered. I was exposed to it in my first law school year's writing class, and its lessons have remained with me since. Banish the passive voice! (unless deliberately and thoughfully chosen and used). This is not merely a key to fluidity in writing, but in a sense a moral imperative. Actions are attributable to actors - they don't simply occur. If you're asserting an action took place, you and your reader should know who or what you claim set it in motion. This necessitates intellectual rigor and clarity. Also, I remember and have employed for twenty-five years Wydick's apt metaphor that good legal writing is like fine cabinetmaking: the skill of the craftsman is shown by the crafted joints not requiring glue, just as the quality of a piece of prose is shown by its lack of reliance on "glue words" (read the book). I've used the lessons of Wydick's brief book as a lawyer, writer and writing teacher. I've given it to colleagues, non-lawyers and young relatives. Their writing uniformly improved.

A ground-breaker that became a classic., June 4, 2002
I first read this book in 1989, and I loved it. It made so much sense, yet it seemed so radical to a young associate at a large law firm. But the advice in this book has been around since 1978. Back then, it was breaking new ground. Now, its advice, though common among plain-English advocates, is still needed by the practicing bar. How great it would be if every lawyer followed Wydick's advice in this book.

Wish I read it in law school, August 3, 2000
I bought this book during my first year of law school. It was recommended, but not required reading, so I tossed it aside. Big mistake.

Now that I am getting paid for my work product, I am more concerned about its quality. So, I finally opened the book. It is a quick and easy read, but oh so helpful. Every positive thing posted about the book is dead on.

Reading Plain English for Lawyers has been the best CLE of the year.

Not just for lawyers and law school students, April 2, 2002
This book was part of my first-year curricula in law school, but this book is valuable for anyone who paid attention in high school composition, and who is looking for a reader-friendly guide to improve their skills in edited English. The hook for the title comes from the fact that the legal profession is one of the more notorious for having cluttered syntax, archaic terminology, and unnecessary abstractions.

Clear writing begins with clear thinking, and the reader-friendly rules in this book will help sort out the writing quirks that sometimes pop up when a writer isn't as confident in what he/she is trying to say.

Simple and clear instructions for simple writing, June 12, 2005
This is a simple text reminding us simply how to write. Often we fail to communicate our message because we lack clarity in our writing. The mark of a genius is to take a complicated idea and communicate it to another in a simple manner: this text helps us act like geniuses. The target audience is the legal profession yet it is applicable to anyone who writes memos, briefs or such. It provides clear instruction, concise and illuminating examples and exercises. I found this useful when writing my thesis and continue to use it in practice. Please, buy this, read it and SHARE it: I hate reading legalise for the sake of legalise.

The exercises really do help., June 13, 2007
Most of the stuff just summarizes points from Strunk and White.
The practice exercises are really what's helpful.
Also a good reference when editing.

One phrase can sum it up, February 15, 2010
I bought this book because my Legal Writing and Research prof suggested it and said he used it all the time. One phrase can sum it up: Keep it simple and clear. Read that or buy the book and read a lot more to learn the same thing. I never use it.

Should be Plain English for Everyone, July 24, 2009
I've worked a professional writer and was on law review, but this remains my top choice for teaching people how to write. Everyone can take something from this book regardless of skill level. Learning to write is a constantly evolving process, and too many people (especially in the legal field) fail to understand both that being able to write does not necessarily mean that you know how to write well and that writing is about quality and not quantity.

Exceptional book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The most comprehensive -- yet easy to read -- guide to estate planning on the market! Learn how to create an estate plan and protect your family

Plan Your Estate covers everything from the basics of wills and living trusts to sophisticated tax-saving strategies. The authors give you straightforward, plain-English explanations of every significant estate-planning option available, so you can make the best decisions for you and those you love.

The book covers:

Editorial Review

Get your life organized with the best workbook available!

Paperwork and personal information isn't always easy to find, and organizing your records can seem like an intimidating task. But, whether you need to organize records for yourself, your family or your executor, Get It Together will show you how to keep track of:

Editorial Review

For the lawyers who think they know it all or for those of you who worry that your legal counsel can't tell a tort from a tart Stump Your Lawyer! is a hilarious tour of the quirks and curiosities of our legal system. This tongue-in-cheek volume offers witty, practical, and thought-provoking challenges for the legally minded. Short case histories, definitions, multiple-choice quizzes, and other formats mock the bar exam approach and probe the reader's knowledge of obscure statutes, baffling decisions, bizarre legal concepts, and antiquated jargon. Whether you're studying, practicing, or running from the law, this book will keep you laughing and learning all the way to the courthouse. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Executing an estate or a trust fund is a big responsibility. Estate & Trust Administration For Dummies contains advice for handling estates and trusts of any size. It offers solid pointers on reading and interpreting a will and other documents, and helping heirs avoid paying too much (or too little). It also shows you how to take care of a loved one's estate in the event that a will or trust was never created.

This authoritative, plain-English guide helps you understand and follow the rules that govern estates and trusts, ensure a smooth transfer of property, and manage fiduciary affairs in an orderly manner. You’ll get help choosing and assembling a team of professional advisors, settling debts and paying bequests, operating a revocable or irrevocable trust, and making sound trust investment decisions. Discover how to:

• Understand executors’ and trustees’ duties
• Read and interpret important documents
• Properly execute an estate or trust
• Handle estates both large and small
• Get familiar with the probate process and estate taxes
• Identify different types of trusts
• Follow the deceased’s wishes — and the law
• Notify insurers and employers of a death
• Follow the steps for closing an estate
• Establish, fund, and change ownership of a trust
• Keep proper trust records

Yes, you can do the job and do it well. All you need is a little help from Estate and Trust Administration For Dummies. ... Read more

Editorial Review

First-time landlord? Learn landlording fundamentals in this primer.

The declining U.S. economy has forced many homeowners to make tough decisions about their property. If you're one of the millions of Americans affected by the credit crisis, struggling to make your mortgage payments, and are considering renting out your home to make ends meet, you'll need to learn the basics of being a landlord.

Let First-Time Landlord show you how to start your landlording business and maintain it in your spare time. Get the concise information you need to start making money with a single-family home, written for property owners with little business savvy -- and even less time and patience. Learn how to rent out your property lawfully and safely with valuable information on:

Editorial Review

An all-in-one authoritative guide every landlord needs

Every Landlord's Legal Guide is the most comprehensive and up-to-date legal and practical guide for residential landlords. The best, most effective way to make and save money as a landlord is to keep up with the law --and with Every Landlord's Legal Guide, you can do all that and more.

From move-in to move-out, this book covers a wide range of issues , including fair housing, repairs, sublets, screening for good tenants, environmental hazards such as mold and bed bugs (yes, bed bugs). You'll find legal and practical solutions backed by many 50-state charts with specific laws for each state. This complete resource will help you avoid hassles and headaches --not to mention legal fees.

Here is everything you need to:

Editorial Review

Reviews

A cops-eye view of the "Terry" stop., January 22, 2007
I almost cannot believe this book was written by a cop. If Hunter S. Thompson were not dead before the publication date, I would swear this was ghost-written. When he advises the reader to consider SOILING his or her PANTS to avoid being taken into custody, I can't vouch for the quality of the advice, but I have to admire the author's balls. Other bits of advice are undoubtably real gems; when the author recommends to always ask the cop for a Notice to Appear in court (or "NOA" - this is to be attempted before resorting to the pant-pooping) he is dispensing uncommon practical wisdom. His discussion of racial profiling, and direct advice to young black and hispanic men, is jaw-droppingly frank. Not unlike Thucydides, the author says, in effect: "Let us have no talk of just and unjust."

The bulk of this book is not unlike the various "Know Your Rights" resources published by groups like the ACLU, but it is vastly better. Those other resources give sound advice in the form of "rules," but it is abstracted from 4th and 5th Amendment case law. The truth is that the justice system exists primarily in the cracks between the laws - in the form of police and prosecutorial discretion. The subjective aspects of an encounter with the police - namely police incentives and psychology - are at least as important to your outcome as the positive law is. Any student of the Supreme Court can tell you what to do in a police encounter (e.g. "shut up"), but without any understanding of why you are doing it, it may be VERY difficult advice to follow.

Following the old adage "know your enemy in order to defeat him," the author shows you what a police encounter looks like from the cop's perspective. Police, the author emphasizes, are NOT "just people" - they are "Great White sharks" (his words) trained to churn as many arrests and seizures as possible. But -like sharks- they share certain natural tendencies that make them predictable, (to a limited extent) manipulable, and (above all) avoidable.

Another way it differs from the ACLU brand of rights books and videos is in its urgency. The author argues that, in the electronic panopticon that is today's justice system, an arrest is effectively as damning as a conviction. Computer databases mean that today, not just your penal interests, but also your future employment and your credit can be ruined by an arrest. This is why you - the citizen - must read this book. Not even the best attorney can get you "un-arrested" - you must help yourself by staying free in the first place.

That said, I think the author overstates this point a bit. The class of the offense and your age at the time still matter a great deal. Not even the CIA can afford to exclude everyone with a blemish on their record. Moreover, the panopticon is not really all that efficient (yet). If your name is "Joe Smith," from "Los Angeles," your legibility to the system is still pretty minimal.

Carson limits his advice to those bits helpful to the "clueless" petty criminal - the people most likely to be arrested in a random police encounter. This book tells you only how to navigate what the law calls a "Terry" stop. He's not interested in helping dangerous and/or professional criminals - who are in any event much more likely to be arrested pursuant to a warrant of some sort. (If your house is going to be raided, get a book on prisons, because this won't be of much help.)

This brings us to the author's very interesting editorial thesis: namely, that economics keeps petty offenses criminal. On this account, simple possession of marijuana remains a criminal offense primarily because courts and cops need something to do while they are between rapists and murderers. Petty crime is the daily bread of the justice system. This is a very interesting hypothesis, and while it probably deserves a more scholarly treatment than it recieves here (any U of Chicago grad students in the room?), it seems to me intuitively correct. This beast must eat a steady diet of petty offenders so that it's still in shape when we really need it. But this obviously sucks for the petty offenders (who, when you think about it, are really doing a public service) and Carson is interested in teaching them how to avoid the beast's jaws.

Sadly, the few people who really need this book are unlikely to have the foresight to read it. But, if you are at risk of being arrested this book is for you. If you look weird, are a young male, belong to a racial minority group, travel on foot, drive after midnight, use illegal drugs, have a prior record, or have friends or family who do any of the above, this book is worth taking a look at. Also highly recommended for people who work in the CJ system (except cops, who know this stuff).

Rules for not being arrested, March 23, 2007
This is a very good book about how not to get arrested. To summarize the main themes of the book, on how not to get arrested:

- Don't carry guns in your vehicle
- Don't have drugs in your vehicle
- Don't mouth off to cops (actually, shut up when around them)
- Never, ever touch a cop or physically invade his space, etc.
- If a cop sees you, just keep doing what you were doing before he saw you (i.e., the police look for people who change their behavior around the police suddenly).

The entire book is basically variations on those themes. His basic point is that the "clueless" get arrested, because they do one or more of the above. One main message of this book is "if they can't see you, they can't arrest you". Think about it. Who gets arrested ? The guy who is highly visible to police. The white collar criminal, operating behind closed doors is just not visible. The hurdle of a warrant to search a private home in the U.S. is massive. But the hurdle to stop and search a vehicle is not great at all. For that reason, the people who get arrested in the U.S. are people who do stupid stuff in their car (transport guns, transport drugs, get an attitude when stopped, physically touch the officer, etc.

An Esssential "How To "Book, January 26, 2008
Of the How To" books, this one may be the most important one that you will every read.

Author Dale C. Carson is a former Florida street cop and FBI agent. He is presently a practicing criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville, Florida. As such, he is in a perfect position to reveal the brutal truth about how police work, their methods, dirty tricks, and motivations. He stresses that cops do not receive promotions or accolades for keeping the peace, or resolving disputes by negotiation, but are evaluated and promoted strictly on the number of citations issued and arrests made, especially felony arrests.

He goes on go to explain how easy it is for *anyone* to get arrested, a subtitle of the book. Most non-criminal "upstanding" citizens" can inadvertently become caught up in the criminal justice "plantation," to use a word coined in the book. Arrest records can have serious consequences, even if the charges are subsequently dismissed, not pressed, or you are acquitted. Such an arrest will doom you (especially young people) to a lifetime of low paid jobs, since many employers will not hire anybody with an arrest record, regardless of the judicial outcome or merit of the arrest. This is particularly dangerous in the age of electronic information, where records can last indefinitely. Before the computer age, written records often got lost with age. Not so now.

So the only practical approach is a defensive/preventive/proactive one. Sadly, most people with not read this book until it is too late, if at all. The "clueless" people, who don't even understand the basics of the system, but are either petty criminals or non-criminals, because in their addition to their lack of ability to keep court dates (they do not own or do not use calendars or alarm clocks), frequently turn minor charges to major ones by failure to appear and other add-on charges. Probably most of them are not even literate enough to understand the simple advice in the book.

This book explains how to keep from being sucked into the system. Once you are, it will be very expensive to get out, if it is possible at all. Numerous parasites in the criminal justice system, including cops, lawyers, prosecutors, jailers, social workers, psychologists, have a big interest in perpetuating the system. The most important battle to be won is for custody of your body - remember, cops are visually oriented predators, whose main motivation is to arrest you and take custody of your body.

Buy this book BEFORE you get sucked into the system, and save a lot of money and heartache. As noted by the author, if you are a real, habitual, or big time criminal, this book will not be of much use to you - you will eventually be residing at the "Graybar Hotel" sooner or later. This book, however, is a must read for the non-criminal, petty criminal, or "victimless" criminal, or just for anybody that is naive about a dangerous, unforgiving system, in which ANYONE can inadvertently be caught up in for a momentary lapse of judgment.

They're not here to help, May 17, 2008
This is an essential guide for everyone--it doesn't matter what your previous encounters with law enforcement have been. Carson explains that in the world of criminal justice, it's all a numbers game: how many arrests can the beat cop make? how many tickets can he write? how many convictions can the prosecutor get? how can the city/county/state make money off the people who end up in the endless cycle of the justice system? (Don't believe me? Read Reason Magazine's story about Tracy Ingle. Unfortunately, most police officers are in the business of policing because they want to play cops and robbers; they aren't in it to help people.

The most eye opening part of this book was when he explains how someone can be inexorably caught in the "social services plantation," as he calls it:

Joe gets arrested for carrying a joint (or DUI, driving without a license, mouthing off to a cop, etcetera ad nauseum). Joe needs to have the financial resources, familial support, and a very understanding boss for the needed time off to make it to his court appearances, probation officer meetings, court ordered Narcotics/Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and he needs to make it home from all these appointments in time because he's also ordered to complete in-home detention.

One day Joe's car breaks down on the way home. He calls a tow truck. After the tow truck drops the car off at the repair shop, he calls for a taxi to take him home. He gets home an hour later than he's allowed, and fully expects to hear from his probation officer, but he's sure the tow truck bill, repair shop bill, and receipt for the taxi are enough to prove he is telling the truth. Sure enough, he gets a call, and he goes about explaining the situation. A few short minutes later, the police show up and arrest him for violating his probation. The probation officer tells him that the GPS device Joe is required to carry shows him being in the liquor store next to the repair shop, and any drinking is prohibited on probation. Joe insists he was only in the repair shop, but the probation officer doesn't believe him, and that's all that is required to put Joe in jail.

Now Joe, the kid arrested for carrying a joint in his pocket, is a part of the local jail population for the next month. Career destroyed, family starting to have enough of Joe's getting in trouble, and financially buried by the court costs, the cost of the in-home detention, the cost of probation, and the cost of missing work for the required appointments throughout the day, Joe gives up on living a "proper life" and gets mixed up with illegal activities in the jail, and the process continues. All that from an arrest for a non-violent legal infraction.

I know the above is a long anecdote, but it's a perfect illustration of one part of Carson's subtitle: "How Even a Single Arrest Could Ruin Your Life."

The only part that seems a little bit paranoid in this book is when Carson demonstrates how to make an arrest-proof car, complete with filling the glove box with expanding foam and super gluing the trunk shut. That's a bit much, but still understandable.

The best part of the book are the "Creds" he offers: Sheets of paper that have all the pertinent information a cop would ask for, along with a statement that your lawyer has told you not to say anything in those situations. That's worth the price of the book alone. I'm putting my Creds together right now.

Highly recommended for everyone--especially those in the most arrestable demographic: young, poor, minority males.

A primer on the justice industry in america, October 17, 2009
We live in a police state. Digest that. Suppress your need to think you are protected by provisions in the Bill of Rights of the american constitution, that cops themselves obey the law, that you as an individual are safe from abuse by the bounty hunters of the american plantation system, or simply because you think you have committed no crime. Cops form the input system for a self-perpetuating constellation of courts, jails, prisons, probation, rehab services ... This is industrial strength oppression. Cops are employed to get you into this system, to keep all its employees working steadily. The US has a greater percentage of its population in jails than any other country. This is profitable for corporations. It will never stop.

You must not think of a cop or anyone else employed by this predatory system in the same way you think of other people. They are functionaries of a machine system. They get ego satisfactions from controlling people. For example, the police in WWII Paris helped the german GESTAPO round up french patriots and non-aryans for transport (from a site along the railway line to the east of the city) to extermination camps. During that same war, american cops rounded up japanese-americans to send to prison camps here. You get the picture; they will just do what they are told to do. If it involves brutality, no problem. Using provocation or deceit to augment his arrest totals is no moral problem for a cop. Remember, they have backup; you don't. You are virtually helpless but for the priceless bits of advice in ARREST-PROOF YOURSELF.

Interesting Read..If True, it makes me feel ill, May 9, 2010
I was in the bookstore buying some books on theology when the cover of this caught my eye while walking past the "law" section...I picked it up and it looked interesting, so I bought it.

I read it in one sitting. The writing style is nothing to brag about, but this isn't supposed to be some scholarly piece of literature -- this is a gritty, down to earth offering of practical advice. The content seemed to make sense, but there is one thing which I hated about the book. The advice offered is, essentially, stay in your house as much as possible hiding from even being seen by the police, and if you must go out, do everything in your power to dress and groom a certain way or else you're looking for trouble. And this is the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.

What don't I like about this advice? I don't like it because it's true. This is basically the state of affairs in the United States (ever wonder why we have such a huge percentage of our populace behind bars?) -- every time you walk out of your doors you are taking a risk of having an encounter with members of a well-armed, well-organized gang that may, if they feel like it, arrest you for whatever reason they come up with that day. It almost seems as if the author (a former law enforcement officer himself) is essentially saying that law enforcement are psychotic, wholly corrupted, and have real and entrenched self-image and ethical problems, and they have the might and power of the State behind them.

I feel ill.

A must read for EVERYONE!!, July 3, 2008
I read this book and was both shocked, ticked and, well, amazed. A lot was just plain common sense. But a lot I would have never imagined. The bottom line is this is a must read for every person no matter what the age. I have showed it to a couple teachers and they were amazed at how easy it is for even a kid in school to get a criminal record that will haunt him for hte rest of his life. You will hear a lot of things you want to believe do not exist in the United States, but believe it! It does happen to good people, even what the author calls "Whitebread America". The book talks of how the way one dresses, talks, drives, walks and who they associate with can all contribute to their 'arrestibility'. This book is a no nonsense book on how to reduce the risk of ever getting a criminal record by a man who has been in law enforcement for a very long time. He pulls no punches and tells it like it is. He even touches on subjects like the 'pussification' of America and how the old ideal of 'innocent till proven guilty' has been replaced by 'guilty till proven innocent'. I don't care if you are a hip hop punk or a soccer mom. You NEED to read this book! It could save you from the true nightmare of an arrest record which could cause you problems from not being able to get a job to not being able to get credit to buy a new home. Did you know that you can end up with a criminal record for little more then being taken in for questioning and then just set free? Unbelievable right? But I personally know of a person who has had this happen and was denied a job because now he shows up as having a criminal record. Prospective employers could care less if you were guilty, just that in a check you show up with a record. Buy this book and read it if you value your rights.

Not Just for the Clueless, September 30, 2007
There's more to the book than the other reviewers are acknowledging. The advice on what to do is very specific and detailed, and as a person who has had some professional involvement with law enforcement, and who is fairly tuned-in and intuitive with cops, I still felt I learned some important advice, and to have some of my existing practices confirmed by an insider. In terms of pure amusement, the section on "jits" is especially funny and insightful. As a citizen, I found learning about the injustice and range of effects of an arrest to be sobering and scary. And seeing the world though a cop's eyes while getting some really good advice may just prove to be worth a million bucks someday. But the people who need it the most are young folks, especially guys, especially other-than-white, and the people who care about them.

A fun read..but.., August 3, 2010
Iv been stopped by the Police 3 times in the past 2 years just for walking on the street. The third time really made me paranoid so i ordered this book.
It's a fun read and i enjoyed it..but it pretty much just tells you about common since..He mentions in the book a lot about his number 1 rule "If they can no see you, they can arrest you" (easier said then done, if you ask me) and then the rest of is just telling you to not be Rude, Use your Please and Thank yous.

The best part of this book is the details it goes into on tell you how your life can get really screwed up if you get arrested even once. And how once in the system always in the system. Even if found Not Guilty it still shows you were arrested for the crime.

I give it 3 stars. had the title not been "arrest proof yourself" and called "how to talk to the Police" or "Life in the System" i would give it 5 but i took of a couple just cuz i feel the title is a little misleading then the info inside

Every Teenager Must Have One! Save of car Insurance Too!, April 23, 2010
I bought 'Arrest-Proof Yourself' for my 16yo nephew, who just got his driver's license. Since, our family happily chipped-in half for his first vehicle, we insisted that he READ this 'MANUAL' and fill out the "CREDS", Before we handed him the KEYS. Now, at least he is Aware of the electronic plantation and how to avoid being 'Clue-less'. For me, I found about 10 to 15% new information, the rest I was already aware of, and the Fact that the Ex-Cop "Repeated" his Golden Rules, over and over, got me thinking that this would be a great Manual for Teenagers ... and it is. Of course, some this manual information will also be of some benefit for the older generations, that are are Not savvy about law enforcement procedures, civil/traffic law enforcement, etc.
Some of the other Reviewers, did a great job in pointing specific points of interest, so I won't be redundant, however, I did want to point out that Teenagers and into the mid-twenties, are one of law enforcement's 'Sweet Spots', Due To #1 Accidents, Tickets/Public Endangerment (Racing, running red lights/stop signs, etc), to DUI/DWI's, Public Intoxication, Physical Assaults (fighting), etc, etc. I think most families are aware or should be aware of the consequences, as a result of any of the above infractions; not to mention the financial burden on some families, either.
For most families, handing out this Manual to their young drivers, could also potentially save them money in the long run, on their multi-car insurance policy's.
A Must Have Manual! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Get the right house at the right price with insider tips and advice from the experts!

Say goodbye to landlords and laundromats with Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home. This timely title will help you find the right place to live and invest in -- and even have fun doing it.

Filled with interesting facts, real-life stories and common pitfalls to avoid, this book provides everything you need to select the right house, the right mortgage, the right agent, the right inspections -- and much more. Get the inside scoop on:

Editorial Review

The most practical -- and legal -- companion through divorce ever published.

Like most people who are going through a separation or divorce, you're probably wondering "What's next?" at every turn.Turn to Nolo's Essential Guide to Divorce for clear answers that can help make your divorce simpler and reduce your expenses. You'll even learn how to successfully divorce with minimal help from an attorney.

With compassion and understanding, Nolo's Essential Guide to Divorce will explain what you should expect

Editorial Review

If you're ready to save the world, here's the book you need.

Rescue a school library. Preserve an endangered species. Support the arts. Whatever it is you want to do to give back to your community, Starting & Building a Nonprofitprovides the kick start you need.

Filled with user-friendly information, practical advice and step-by-step instructions, this book is your guide through the process of getting your nonprofit up and running. It explains how to:

Editorial Review

CrunchTime provides the right information, in the right format, at the right time. If you learn best through application flow charts, get your CrunchTime early in the semester and use it as a visual aid throughout your course. Each title offers capsule summaries of major points of law and critical issues, exam tips for identifying common traps and pitfalls, sample exam and essay questions with model answers, and recommended approaches for crafting essays that will get winning grades! ... Read more

Reviews

Best study aid for up to 2 weeks before the exam, April 30, 2010
This was by far the best study aid for finals I have used...and trust me...I've used everything. A week before the exam, you don't have time to fish through hornbooks, E & E's (although I recommend those for understanding concepts throughout the year) and even detailed commercial outlines. You need a short, condensed, straight to the point summary that still MAKES SENSE. And this book did me wonders. I didn't have to read an entire chapter to understand a concept. The flowcharts are amazzinng and so are the short answer questions and model answers. I definitely recommend this series for property and any other class! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Keep your vacation home in the family with the definitive guide to succession planning.

Now published by Nolo, Saving the Family Cottage is written in plain English by estate planning and succession attorney-experts Stuart Hollander and David S. Fry, to help you plan to pass on your vacation home and keep it in the family. Complete with real-world examples and stories of cottage "wars" gone awry, this book breaks down the essentials for passing your cottage to the next generation.

Find out how to:

Editorial Review

The most comprehensive -- and easiest to use -- guide to California residential property management available.

Every California landlord and residential property manager needs The California Landlord's Law Book: Rights & Responsibilities. The definitive guide for over 20 years, it clearly and comprehensively covers everything you need to know about:

Editorial Review

This popular study guide helps students master the complexities of wills, trusts, and estates through a combination of textual material and well-written, comprehensive examples, explanations, and questions. <b>Examples & Explanations: Wills, Trusts, and Estates, Fourth Edition,</b> provides students with the essential background and review materials they need to practice applying legal concepts to fact patterns.<p class="copymedium"><b>Among the features that make this high-quality study guide popular with both students and instructors:</b></p><ul><li class="copymedium">comprehensive coverage — the text covers intestacy, wills, and trusts, including nonprobate assets, estate administration, wealth transfer taxation (gift tax, estate tax, generation-skipping transfer tax), disability and death planning, and malpractice/professional responsibility</li><li class="copymedium">a conversational writing style that is clear, accessible, and holds students¿ interest</li><li class="copymedium">uses the <i>Examples & Explanations</i> format to help students learn in a step-by-step manner and also includes comprehensive questions, with a variety of issues in one fact situation, that are similar to those on law school and bar examinations</li><li class="copymedium">casebook correlation charts that make it easy to use the study guide with any of the seven most popular casebooks</li><li class="copymedium">a "learning by doing" approach that provides students with the opportunity to evaluate how well they can apply what they have just learned</li><li class="copymedium">practical suggestions throughout the text that enhance its pedagogical value and give students an appreciation of the how the concepts apply in the real world</li><li class="copymedium">samples of will and trust provisions and an extensively annotated model will</li><li class="copymedium">an overview of general nationwide rules</li><li class="copymedium">a comprehensive, student-friendly index that allows students to easily find the information they seek</li><li class="copymedium">tables for quick location of material relevant to the Uniform Probate Code, Uniform Trust Code, and Internal Revenue Code</li><li class="copymedium">updates available on author's website: <a href="http://www.professorbeyer.com/" target="_blank">www.ProfessorBeyer.com</a></li></ul><p class="copymedium"><b>Fine-tuned and updated, the Fourth Edition offers:</b></p><ul><li class="copymedium">materials on recent developments, including: transfer of death deeds; self-settled spendthrift trusts; Rule Against Perpetuities reform; federal gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax; Uniform Trust Code; rights of same-sex partners; Medicaid planning; physician-assisted suicide</li><li class="copymedium">revised examples that reflect the updated content</li><li class="copymedium">updated casebook correlation tables reflecting new editions of the major casebooks</li></ul><p></p><p></p> ... Read more