Legal Books

Use it in law school and keep it around for a long time after. Keeper!

This was a wonderful purchase. The information was very accessable and to-the-point. A good nut-and-bolts resource for common evidentiary issues. A handy tool for busy attorneys. I wish I would have bought this the day I was given my law license.

Highly recommended.

Before and during every trial, I refer to this book. It lays out the elements necessary to lay a foundation of mostly any type of evidence and lays out the questions necessary to establish that foundation. It serves as a terrific checklist, not only to learn the rules in law school, but to use them in the courtroom. An absolute must have.

I also recommend Thomas Mauet's Fundamentals of Trial Techniques.

It is lacking in the foundation for more current evidence -- e.g., emails, web pages, etc.

I've been a criminal defense attorney in Alaska for many years, working in areas where I had no one else to talk over my cases with and where the law library consisted of just the state statutes and the Pacific Reporters. The lists of foundational requirements set out in this book have helped me plan direct and cross examinations for trials, and have helped me innumerable times sound intelligent and in control when making objections or in meeting objections. The examples are very helpful. The book is good for law students; it's wonderful for practicing attorneys.

This book is a must for any law student who desires to learn the proper method for laying evidentiary foundations in a court of law. The book contains numerous examples of proper methods of how to enter various evidence items. The book also covers all of the important evidence rules and explains them in a logical useful manner. Highly recommended--I have seen quite a few trial lawyers referring to this book in actual practice

When my family gathered a few months ago for my father's 75th birthday party, during one of several conversations we had, he out of the blue advised me that he'd named me to be Executor of his estate -- possibly because I'm first-born, but more likely because I'm the only sibling who is speaking to everyone else. I agree that I'm probably the best choice -- but his announcement scared the heck out of me. I had no idea what an Executor did.

I'm glad I ordered this book! It made the role of an Executor very easy to understand, and the few dollars I paid for this book will save me hundreds or thousands of extra dollars that I'd be paying an attoney (out of my father's estate) to do, when now I know how to do some things and how to proceed.

As a social worker -- not a lawyer! -- the book's intelligent explanations helped educate me, while not "talking down" to me in simplistic terms. This is no "Probate for Dummies" type of book. It's a valuable, intelligent, well-organized and resourceful book, and I'm hanging on to it to help guide me through the time when I get that late-night phone call I dread so much...

This book will give you insights into what to expect when "the event" occurs. It should be read before you except the responsibility. An executor is not just another job.

After reading this book you can probably be an executor for an estate without hiring an attorney (assuming no legal documents have to be prepared or filed in court). I found this book in the reference section of the Westfield Pubic Library (NJ) along with its companion book: A Family Guide to Wills, Funerals & Probate (ISBN: 081604550X). This book was written for an executor to read, and the companion book concerned much of the same material but for the decedent to read before he or she dies.

I thought this book was great, and that it will help an executor gain a grasp of his or her responsibilities when administering and closing a decedent's estate. It is written without legal jargon. Have you ever had to administer an estate and gone to an attorney for help? Did you expect the attorney to tell you about your duties and delegate as much of the work to you as possible? And did you find the attorney did a lot of work you think you could and should have done? Well, if so, then this book probably could have helped you talk to the attorney and have more worked delegated to you.

This book is as comprehensive as it needs to be to educate an executor about his or her duties. When those duties can be complicated, the authors explain the basics so an attorney can be consulted to provide legal services. Keep in mind that many estates can be settled without any legal help being needed. Thus, I recommend an executor read this book before ever seeking an attorney for help, guidance, or services.

The edition of the book I read was hardbound and very pretty. There was an index of terms in the back of the book. However, I would have liked the book better if there had been a glossary of terms back there, too. Don't worry that the book doesn't have your state in its title. It is written so it is applicable to executors in all 50 states.

I found the book to be deficient in covering (failed to cover) the various tax forms (federal estate & income; state estate & income) that must be filed. They mention them, but I would have liked the book better if more had been written about them. Filing the tax returns is often the most complicated aspect of doing executor work. Most of the other things just take time.

This book gives great overview but it is not a do-it-yourself book. You'll still need legal advice. Highly recommend as a read so you can be educated before speaking with a lawyer.

I purchased this book months ago to prepare myself for the future when I will have to handle my mother's affairs. To my absolute surprise, I have recently been appointed as administrator of my long lost cousin's estate. Yeap, he died intestate, without a will. Luckily I was just finishing this book so I had a clue what to do next.

The book has already proven to be a valuable resource of information. As I go through the probate process, I am referring to it to help me along. I put Post-It note flags on the tops of certain chapters to speed up the information retrieval. The Table of Contents is well organized.

The only thing I would suggest to the authors is to put a bit more "how to" instructions into the book. For instance, I need to do a Postal change of address. The topic is well covered in the chapter "The Deceased's Mail" but it does not tell you how to locate the Post Office where he once lived. A website address would be most helpful.

The author brings you into the personal lives of his characters as he develops a fast paced socially enlightening legal thriller. The novel's action is accurately showcased in Southeastern Michigan. You not only get to know the characters, but if you live in Michigan you recognize the familiar landmarks. If you aren't from Michigan, you learn about the Motor City and its suburbs as well as understanding the politics of the area. This story has an important message. Hate, redemption, intolerance, nobleness, and prejudice are dealt with in enlightened terms.

"The Farewell Principle" by Steven Weiss is a fast-paced story that incorporates legal and personal challenges of a Michigan attorney, Maurice "Mo" Robinson. Mo is forced to face his own personal prejudices and loyalties when he encounters a white supremacist group.Mo grapples with real-life situations that makes one question one's own values and beliefs. This page-turner is especially satisfying to people familiar with Detroit since many Detroit streets and buildings are mentioned.(a la Elmore Leonard}.Steve Weiss, a first-time novelist, has successfully written a realistic compelling story that I would highly recommend.

This is an outstanding first time effort in fiction concerning problems of our time in urban center. Revolves around a racial murder resulting in trial drama with former prosecutor defending a life long friend. The characters are well defined. An additional twist depicts member of the cloth attempting to reform a racial bigot by logic and friendship. Good yarn!

Reads like Grisham, but makes you think. as well. You'll love the realistic characters in this page turner. Once you get going, save time to finish, because you won't be able to put it down.

I like a book that gets your heart pumping and your mind racing. This one does 'em both. After you read this book, you'll realize what the power of the pen is all about. I recommend this highly.

This book was a great help to me getting through Federal Courts in addition to my textbook. As any law student can tell you, Federal Courts or Federal Jurisdiction probably outranks civil procedure as the most dreaded class at law school. I am a firm believer in the importance of the subject and this book was invaluable to me in class and in work. If you have a legal problem that will involve federal litigation, this book is a must have. It makes a subject that I often believe is as clear as reading tea leaves a little easier.

All of the thousands of law school study guides tout themselves as a means of breaking down the often complex material for students. Unfortunately, however, few are able to accomplish that goal, as the study guides themselves are often almost as large as the casebooks and do little to demystify law school courses. Chemerinsky's text is a refreshing change, as his Federal Jurisdiction hornbook helps you understand what is universally seen as the hardest course in law school, Federal Courts.

Federal Courts is such a difficult class because of the sheer complexity of the material. Sadly, many students, me included, are forced to use Hart and Wechsler's Federal Courts casebook which is itself very difficult to learn from (for reasons I discuss in my review of that book). Many casebooks try to go over too much: they spend time on general principles, certainly, but often get caught up in discussing every single case with some relevance to the course, with less focus on hammering down an understanding of the general principles. Hart and Wechsler is a prime example of this. Their casebook is difficult to digest because there is so much to learn. Their endnotes are filled to the brim with hundreds of cases, many of which are unnecessary to obtain a general understanding of the course. And let's be honest, while these cases might be vital for aspiring future clerks taking Federal Courts, not all of us are clerking for the D.C. Circuit anytime soon.

Chemerinsky's hornbook very adequately solves this problem. Of all of the study guides and hornbooks I have perused in law school, Chemerinsky's book helped guide me the most, in what is the hardest class I have taken. In well-defined sections, Chemerinsky breaks down the daunting Federal Courts in a manner that is easy to read and ultimately understand. Chemerinsky clearly as well as concisely lays out a framework for each of the key bedrock principles of Federal Courts and federal jurisdiction without getting caught up in going over every possible case with implications for federal courts. Chemerinsky does discuss the key exceptions as well as minor cases, but they flow very well with his general discussions of the base material of Federal Courts. His book, therefore, was extremely easy to absorb and helped me immensely in understanding Federal Courts.

I was often bewildered and perplexed by the material discussed in Hart and Wechsler and in class lectures. Chemerinsky's book tore down much of my confusion by helping me focus on the key concepts of Federal Courts, and not getting lost in the forest of cases delineated by the casebook and by my professor. I strongly recommend that any student taking Federal Courts buy this book. It is invaluable to learning the course. You would be doing yourself a disservice if you did not take a look at Chemerinsky.

If you plan on taking Federal Courts, get this book. Even if you are a genius or a masochist and would prefer to go hard-core and use only Hart and Wechsler, get this book anyway. Seriously, just get it. :-)

I'm a very average law student, and my federal courts class was stacked with the top 2nd and 3rd year students in my school. Despite this, I got the highest grade in the class. The reason...this book.

Chemerinsky is able to take a complicated topic that takes 50 pages of a textbook to explain, and summarize it in a single paragraph.

This single most impressive book I have encountered in 3 years of law school. And if you plan to practice in the federal court system, this book is essential. Buy it.

As usual, Chemerinsky provides a clear and concise summary of this area of law. Practitioners and law students alike will find it to be a valuable reference tool. Like his treatise on Constitutional law, Chemerinsky has a unique ability to briefly encapsulate lengthy and sometimes conflicting Supreme Court precedent. I read it as a practitioner, but I'm sure law students will find it to be a helpful, though expensive supplement.

The book does fail in maintaining any semblance of objectivity when it comes to the scope of federal judicial power. Although arguments are mechanically given for both sides of an issue, one gets the impression that Chemerinsky, in his weaker moments, would love to get rid of the 11th Amendment, standing requirements, amount in controversy requirements, and any other obstacle to a federal court's ability to hear a case.

It's a book for my masters program, I have no opinion, it's a requirement.

An essential book for every American both young or old, male or female, Democrat or Republican. A delightful discovery on the need of God and guns (or perhaps swords) in the United States and the intolerance of a government in charge of all but answerable to noone. An undeniably perfect fit for todays culture.

Discover your roots from the men that gave their lives for the signing of the Constitution; true heroes. Their resolve was unquestionable and the love for country without reproach.

They brought us so far. We've walked away. Read it and weep. BK

The Federalist was an astonishing political document. Written for public consumption during the debate over adoption of the U.S. Constitution, it combined immense learning and sophistication with shrewd insights into the nature of politics in a republic. It's an essential text for anyone interested in American political history or constitutional theory. In fact, the Federalist should be essential readingt for any educated American: it remains an unparalleled example of realistic political analysis being placed in the service of political ideals.

After more than 200 years, the Federalist has lost little of its relevance. The sections on judicial review and Presidential nominations, for example, could have been written about current controversies over judges. Likewise, the discussion of Presidential war powers, or the emphasis on checks and balances as essential to the preservation of liberty, are eerily topical in an age of pre-emptive war and one-party control of Washington. Even when the analysis is wildly dated -- as with the Commerce Clause or slavery -- the reader can see how far Constitutional doctrine has wandered from the "intent" of the Founders.

The Federalist is also superb as literature: the writing is droll and eloquent, once you get used to the long, convoluted sentences. The introduction by Benjamin Wright is excellent and helps to place the text in political and intellectual context. I don't know why I wasn't forced to read the Federalist at law school! Six stars.

Note: Contrary to one review below, God is hardly mentioned in the Federalist, and then only as a rhetorical flourish. The Federalist has countless references to ancient Greece and Rome, but none to the Old or New Testaments. It is a thoroughly secular document. Religious nationalists and other conservatives should actually read it.

When you read this, you can't help but wonder where all the great minds have gone. This assessment of basic human rights and freedoms should be required reading for all kids, and repeat reading for adults with any appreciation of history and/or politics. Its lessons and statements are universal, and should not be examined as simply a part of US history, but rather how the lessons may be applied elsewhere in parts of the world that are still stuck in the Dark Ages.

We want our founders to be demi-gods and our original texts to be divinely inspired. For an example of this nonsense, please see the first review on this page.
I want to offer a vision of The Federalist in historical context. I will argue that to see it thus enlarges its greatness will allowing us to admit its faults.
In many ways, the developments that led to the Constitution of 1787 started as soon as colonists reached our eastern shores. We had at least 150 years of experimentation in writing charters and in representative governance behind us by 1787. After the Declaration of Independence the States either wrote new constitutions or reaffirmed old charters. The national government wrote the Articles of Confederation and we lived under that from 1781 to the late 1780s.
The Federalist should be seen as part of that ongoing development. More specifically, it should be seen as part of the ratification debates in New York. Largely written by Madison and Hamilton, these papers reflect the compromises that the founders made in regards to the Constitution. Madison had wanted the President to have a veto over any state laws. Hamilton had favored a President for life during good behavior (read #78 in re the appointment for life of federal judges to sense the fervor that Hamilton felt for the benefits of lifetime tenure). Neither man believed in the necessity of a Bill of Rights. Madison eventually saw the political necessity of such amendments. During the first United States Congress he wrote up the Bill of Rights and guided them through passage. This way he could make sure they did not grow too numerous.
As a whole then The Federalist should be seen as rhetorical and political arguments for passage of a Constitution that the authors had some doubts about.
Of course, as Publius they could express no doubts. Madison, Hamiltion and Jay used this pseudonym which was a typical rhetorical device of elite writers at the time. (See Saul Cornell's The Other Founders for a nice discussion of the variety of rhetorical strategies used by writers during the ratification debates.) The idea was that hiding their identities would allow readers to focus on the quality of their arguments. As a result, there are many passages that can strike the modern reader as duplicitous because Publius pretends to know nothing of what went on during the convention. Madison and Hamilton, of course, were instrumental throughout the Constitutional Convention.
Publius works his explication of the need for the Constitution by critiquing the Articles of Confederation then by going thru the new document, article by article supposedly answering all objections. His counterarguments are largely of two types. In the first type, he will state a political principle so "obvious" that any "candid" reader will instantly agree to it. Publius then builds his arguments from there. The famous paper #10 is one such chain of argument. Or Publius will demolish the arguments offered against the Constitution by pointing out that the article objected to is contained in some or many of the States' constitution and have resulted in no such problems. Many of these arguments are justly famous. Number 10 is very much worth reading. (Although I still find it curious that when Madison asserts that a man's property holdings has a great influence on the way he thinks it is celebrated as political realism but when Marx says much the same thing it is decried as class warfare. But that's just me.)
But the reader really does get a sense at to how much thought went into the various checks and balances and the competing claims of the states and the new national government. To me this is where the glory of the book lies. We as a people thought our way out of the failure of our first experiment in nation building. We avoided civil war (for a while) and did not become the victims of foreign manipulation. We don't have to make our founding fathers and mothers demi-gods. In their fully flawed humanity, they dazzle aplenty.
Finally, it should be noted that The Federalist as a piece of political rhetoric avoided some issues entirely. The main problem that most Anti-Federalists had with the proposed Constitution in re jury rights had to do with the following phrase: "such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed" (Article 3, Sec.2, Para. 3). Whig thought at that time insisted on juries being as local as possible. Blackstone stated that jury trials should be held within the county of the crime. This guaranteed that local knowledge of the crime, the defendant and the victim would be maximized in the jury pool. Trying cases in distant jurisdictions or without juries had been some of the main provocations of the British prior to the revolution. Men like Patrick Henry saw that phrase in the Constitution as a clarion of the tyranny to come from the new national government. The Federalist does not speak to this issue at all. Instead, Hamilton focuses on arguments about whether jury trials are guaranteed for civil cases and even has Publius argue that maybe we should limit jury trials a little because juries are so bad with complicated issues, blah, blah.
Should all Americans read this book? Yeah, probably. Are we the worse if they don't? Again, probably yes, but what we really need as a people is more of a sense of our history. I would rather have more people read a good series of books on our history as a whole (I recommend the Oxford History of the United States as one excellent ongoing series).
But if you want to get to know two great minds at work on political issues that are still relevant then this is your book. Forget Locke, Montesquieu and Rousseau. Their philosophies are antiquarian in a way that Publius is not.

A one-night stand leaves both Tommy "Wild Man" Brodie and Jena McCade longing for more. He is a highly paid hockey player; she is a criminal defense attorney. Both are accustomed to working hard and playing equally as hard, never taking their sensual liaisons too seriously...until they meet each other. It has been three months since their sizzling night together, and both still fantasize about it. So when an injury takes Tommy off the ice, he decides recuperation at Jena's place is just what the doctor ordered.

Jena decides that she needs a wife when she opens her door and finds Tommy on her doorstep. Her instant response ignites them both. Jena's sexual escapades have become legendary among her friends, and her sudden reticence in sharing her experience makes them all suspicious. Perhaps bad-girl Jena has finally met her match. Tommy is everything that Jena wants in a short-term affair, but she'd better decide quick if she wants something brief or if she is willing to risk for a whole lot more.

Writing duo Tori Carrington live up to their blazing reputation with FIRE AND ICE, balancing steaming romance, hot erotica, rich character development and a delightful plot. While Jena and Tommy know from the beginning that they are perfect partners in bed, establishing an equal relationship proves much more challenging, especially with Jena making some rather stereotyped assumptions. Furthermore, Jena's struggle with career and personal demons reveal her vulnerabilities in a way that cannot help but endear her to readers' hearts. Fans will also welcome the return of Dulcy and Quinn from A STRANGER'S TOUCH. Carrington makes it difficult to wait for each new scintillating release, and readers will be left panting for the release of GOING TOO FAR in February 2003. Add FIRE AND ICE to your keeper shelf as it comes very highly recommended.

This was a quick afternoon read - with fun hot love scences, a cute hockey player and women who knows what she wants. Jena who is a lawyer and has new man every month meets Tommy 'Wild Man' Brodie the hockey player and has amazing one-night stand. Tommy finds himself infront of Jena door and the heat returns as well as great story with some interesting twist. I am off to find more by this author.

Bad-girl criminal defense attorney Jena McCade has finally found her bad-boy sexual equal. Professional hockey player Tommy "Wild Man" Brodie is everything she's ever wanted in a man. He's gorgeous, he's incredibly talented...and he's temporary! Still, when Tommy shows up on her doorstep after being injured, Jena can't resist offering him some very physical therapy....

Tommy wants out of the rat race - almost as badly as he wants Jena! Since their one-night stand, she's been on his mind and in his dreams. And now he finally has the sexy D.A. right where he wants her - in his bed, exciting him, delighting him. The problem? Jena considers their relationship a fling...nothing more. But even Tommy knows that possession is nine-tenths of the law. And once he's stolen Jena's heart, she's not getting it back....

FIRE AND ICE by Tori Carrington is exactly what I pictured the Blaze line as being. Sizzling characters. Dialogue that is snappy. Love scenes that are scorchers. If you want to experience Blaze at its best, pick up FIRE AND ICE.
This is one book that made me stay up late to finish, because I did not want to put it down. The writing team of Tori Carrington is fast establishing themselves as one of the hottest authors at Harlequin Books and it shouldn't be long before we see them also published elsewhere. FIRE AND ICE is a masterpiece work of art created by this outstanding husband and wife writing team.

The story opens with Tommy "Wild Man" Brodie on Jena McCade's doorstep. The Hockey star Tommy had met Attorney Jena several months before and had a wild one night stand. He is back for more and she is ready for more. It doesn't take long for them to settle into a pattern of wild sexy nights and days learning about one another. But how long will it last? Both are afraid of commitment and both have issues going on in their life that needs settling. See how they resolve their problems, with lots of lovemaking in between.
Another reason that this book scored with me is that not only did it have the main story (the relationship between the two) but it had secondary plots that kept me interested...from the trial that Jena was preparing for to the office romance.

If you are looking for an excellent book, with both sensuality and plot, then you need to read this one.

Albuquerque Defense attorney Jena McCade finds herself drifting into daydreams of making love with LA Aces' star hockey player Tommy "Wild Man" Brodie after they shared an evening a few months ago. Even working on the high profile, media delight Glendale murder case can't stop Jena from dazing about the top ace in her black book.

Tommy wants to shed his image ever since he spent the greatest night of his life sharing a bed with Jena. While recovering from a knee injury, he decides on a heart-driven whim to deliver a pizza to the woman who has taken over his mind. Without calling, Tommy flies from Los Angeles to Albuquerque and goes straight to Jena's home. Instead of wanting to eat a pizza, Jena makes it clear she wants to devour Tommy. As they share great sex in her home, he wonders how to convince the woman he loves that he wants to come home to her forever when she detests a contract that calls for eternal commitment.

When it comes to a blazing romance placed inside an interesting contemporary story line that anchors the tale, no one quite attains the combo like Tori Carrington. The success of this writing team is the characterizations that seem so real that readers want the protagonists to make it. FIRE AND ICE is typical of Team Carrington with a delightful lead couple, strong supporting cast, and engaging prime and secondary plots. Fans will adore the hero, root for the heroine, want the heroic pair to find a forever love, and seek out their significant other for some cooling relief.

Harriet Klausner

I am a carrying on an action against a State agency, and I'm in the process of writing a brief for appeal of a judgement. My buying was based upon this book's reviews and comments in lists by actual lawyers or law students.

I have to agree with their assessment: this book is EXCELLENT! It is concise, easy-to-read, and very clear about what "the 5 types of legal arguments" *are*, how/when to use them, and how to defeat their use by the other side, etc. The author also points out that the best sorts of legal arguments draw from some/many/all of these 5 types of arguments, so that one's legal reasoning is even more compelling.

This is helping me to frame my own brief and I am thankful for it and for the reviews/comments which led me to buy this book. It is an excellent resource for anyone who has to approach legal writing, in my (lay) opinion.

I was a student in Professor Huhn's Constitutional Law class in 2002 and used this book to answer essay questions on his final examinations. He is a tremendously talented professor who provides the historical backdrop behind many of the cases covered in class. This book does a great job presenting the methods he uses in his classroom to motivate indepedent argument. It is a great book to have whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or neither.

Professor Huhn has written a road map to the framing of legal arguments that makes the mysterious enterprise of legal analysis comprehensible in a way that is very useful both for exams and for writing and research assignments. I am confident that this book will retain its utility right on through bar prep and beyond. It has already helped me in writing a brief on a difficult case in my summer job.
By carefully identifying the legitimate sources of legal argument including plain meaning, intent of the statutory body, precedence, tradition, and policy, and then explaining first how to use and then to defeat each of these, Professor Huhn has done the community of law students a great favor. This should be required reading for 1Ls.

This is an easy-to-read exploration of just what motivates our courts. The author provides a compelling view of what factors courts consider when they issue the decisions that affect our lives. He places his discussion in the context of some of the most influential court cases, which makes this a lively and stimulating read.

Law students will find this book indispensable in their studies, lawyers will a compelling structure of legal arguments to use in their briefs, and anyone can use it to evaluate critically the issues we see develop in our nation today.

I am one of Professor Huhn's students at the University of Akron. He is an excellent professor, amazingly well versed in history and the law. His theory of the five types of legal arguments is very helpful in understanding and organizing such arguments, especially in the area of Constitutional law. It has helped me clarify the reasons behind the rulings and why the law is interpreted the way that it is. It has been helpful in all my classes, and I anticipate it will be most helpful on up-coming exams. As law students or practicing attorneys, you may not be able to benefit from Professor Huhn's lectures, but you will most certainly benefit from his book. I higly recommend it for first year students, as I think it will help you in clarifying what I am sure is still new and confusing material.

This is a MUST READ book for anyone wishing to abide by the Florida Concealed Weapons Laws. Don't leave home without it.

If you own a firearm in Florida, you must have this book! Firearm laws are numerous and complicated -- one slip and you're a felon. Gutmacher covers the whole range of situations you might face, and explains the law in understandable terms.

This book can save your life -- get it and read it now!

Why ... well probably beacuse if you carry you probably also have a concealed wepons permit and of course are an honest citizen with no felony etc convictions on you record ....

Well, because you are honest and you don't have that much exposure to police or the darker side of this world you will be just like a duck out of water in case you have to use your gun and law enforcemnt is called in .... Just the fact that you used your gun may mean that you are in deep deep doo doo because the laws, state, federal, municipal etc etc (seems like every idiot in the elected world want's to write a law of some kind) specifically detail of where, how, when and why you may discharge your weapon. Bring into play that these laws overlap and are confusing, you, mr citizen are then either in the total hands of the local police, or a lawyer that understands the gun lwas ....

Let me tell you ... if there is any advice that I can give anyone that is:

1) Buy and read this book ....

2) If in trouble keep your mouth shut ....

3) Let your lawyer explain why you used your gun .....

Fabulous book written by Jon H. Gutmacher P.A....

As a certified firearms instructor, and former prosecuting attorney, I had many opportunities to lecture on the law of firearms, weapons, and self-defense. Over the years, it became clear that very few people had any idea of how the laws were actually interpreted, and what they really meant. After being asked several times, I finally put "Florida Firearms - Law, Use & Ownership" together in 1993. Now, it's 1998, and it's in it's fourth edition!

The purpose of the book was to explain every facet of Florida and Federal firearms law that an ordinary individual would need to know, including NFA weapons, chemical and electric weapons, constitutional issues, and self-defense. The next problem was to put in it a format that was easy to understand, that was enjoyable, and that would be "fast" reading. After two thousand or so hours of work -- this was accomplished, and the book found a ready market with people who wanted to know what they could and could not do, legally. The second edition added a section on assault weapons, as well as extensive endnotes, because quite a few attorneys were using the book, and we also had a number of law enforcement agencies that had bought it, and they all wanted to have case and statutory references to verify the content.

Since then, the book just keeps getting bigger. It's sold over 20,000 copies in Florida, alone -- and is being used in over eighty law enforcement agencies, seven police academies, and is in the library of every Florida appellate court, including the Florida Supreme Court. Pretty good, for a local book.

As laws change, the book is revised, and we offer updates to purchasers twice a year. Everytime I think I've had enough of rewriting, I get a letter from someone that the book has helped, and I renew my efforts, once again. It's the only book that covers Florida and Federal laws, regulations, and cases, and blends them into an explanation of how they really work. There is also a short section on North Carolina law, since half of Florida seems to go there on vacation. Hope you like it.

I got this book shortly after I came to Florida. It is essential reading. Granted, the law itself is on-line and shorter than this book, but you need the interpretations and case law results of this book to sort out what it all really means. First class in every respect.

This book addresses an incredibly important topic - and is well written to boot. The danger of reputations ruined by carelessness, or by deliberate ill will, should be understood. In fact, this book should be mandatory for human resources personnel and any search committee that uses the Internet to check on a potential employee.

Hopefully Solove will follow up soon with another book. Sites such as Topix, provide a frightening forum for people who are less than ethical. Although Topix provides an alternative format for news, there is no oversight for accuracy or even truth. If Orson Welles had had access to the Internet, perhaps we would all have learned a valuable lesson about questioning and independent thinking. Since Welles is no longer with us, at least we have Daniel Solove to encourage us to question timely issues.

Solove's book doesn't provide answers, rather it provides situations that help you ask the right questions.

As an extra bonus it is extremely well written and an enjoyable read.

Prof. Solove's latest book is a great follow up to The Digital Person (which I also recommend). What I have enjoyed about his writings is his ability to communicate not only to attorneys like myself, but also to a non-lawyer audience. His focus on Internet privacy impacts all of us, and as anyone who follows the news knows, the explosive growth of Cyberspace places a greater burden on the individual and on the legal community to bolster protections and to guard against invasions of privacy. Solove's work explains the terrain of this new digital era in a way that is informative, engrossing, and relevant. I'm looking forward to his future scholarship in this field.

The author, Daniel J. Solove, was kind enough to send me an advance copy of this book; it scored a KnowProSE.com 10/10:

"With actual real world examples gleaned from the internet and put in the limelight, the author seems to leave no stone unturned in a quest for answers. Many people will have heard of some of the examples but few will have looked at them in such a circumspect a manner - and even fewer will have done so with a legal background.

Most of my time spent reading this book was spent nodding - I knew about 70% of the stories, but then I've been around a while and have been following the Internet closely- more so than most people on the internet. Still, in most instances the author was able to show me at least one new side to it. This seemed a job which makes the Herculean quest of cleaning the stables seem simple - there is no river to divert here, but there is most certainly a lot of manure. Perhaps the book is the start of the river's diversion. Cyber-bullying, Internet Vigilantism, libel, defamation... mountains are easily grown from molehills in cyberspace.

The book is very easy to read, it flows and takes on a life of its own. I could not put it down; even knowing some of the stories did not deter my interest. After much contemplation, I have decided to give the book a KnowProSE.com 10/10 score. Only one other book has been given that status, and both books have received this status because they were interesting books that were well written and important, and do one other thing in particular: they will stand the test of time. Daniel J. Solove is rapidly becoming to privacy what Lawrence Lessig is to copyright and the public domain.

If you are reading this review, you need to read this book. Who knows? My next blog entry might be about you. Of all the people who need to read this book, I think bloggers are the ones who need to read it the most: being aware of the consequences of what one writes is important in an age when everyone can write, but not everyone considers the consequences to others. Would that we all understood this better."

Once I started The Future of Reputation, I could not put it down. The book brings alive how online gossip, social networking sites, and blogs increasingly define who we are and how were are perceived in today's Information Age. The stories it tells are, at once, laugh-out-loud funny and terrifying. We see the lives of others distorted by vengeful ex-lovers and mocked by teachers. Online commentators shine light on bad behavior to shame people. Our reputations are out of our control.

What I loved about this book is that it asks us to rethink assumptions about how we define ourselves in an age where search engines tell our story to future employers and old high-school classmates. The book helped me appreciate that online shaming plays a new and perhaps important role in shaping behavior but also has serious costs. It offers thoughtful suggestions for what we can do about these problems without sacrificing so much of what is liberating about our online interactions. This is a must read for anyone who is interested in living a full and informed life in the Internet age.

I read the book before I entered law school in order to get a general understanding of the history of American law. Professor Friedman's comprehensive work is of little use to law students (or anyone entering law school) looking for a practical guide to the study and practice of law. Frankly, you can get through law school just fine without ever picking up this book.

That said, you would be doing youself a great disservice. Friedman's work is so comprehensive (covering over 400 years of American law, from the importation of the English legal system during the colonial period to late 20th-century corporate law) that it would be impossible for anyone to read this book and not come out with a better understanding of *WHY* our legal system is the way it is today.

Besides, Friedman's engaging narrative style makes for fun reading. "A History of American Law" and Chemerisnky's "Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies" should be required reading for anyone who has the least bit of interest in the American legal system.

First review written more like the words i wish i could write, providing too much school and being taught lesser is what i got out of the faulty structure. forgot what i was going to typewr. -we

My first reaction after finishing the book, was to ask myself how anyone could have enough time to put so much information together. As the cover states, this "book touches every conceivable aspect of law...it is a stupendous achievement." The author takes an insurmountable task and first breaks it up into four sections, Part 1: American Law in the colonial Period, Part 2: Revolution to the Middle of the 19th century, Part 3: Close of the 19th century, Part 4: The 20th century. Within each part he segments chapters into readable legal topics. (i.e. Corporations, Crime and Punishment, etc). In that way, the reader gets an understanding of the period and how it effects all sorts of law, before going onto another time period and seeing how other areas of the law grew and affected other areas.

Although the republic split from England, the author reviews how attached the our legal system continued to be and all the reasons why this was so. (All the legal treatises and cases were only printed about English law for quite some time). He also discusses why certain areas of the law, nonetheless, quickly grew away. (i.e. the are lots of navigable seaways in America, not so many in England). This is just a small sampling of a tremendous source of information.

The study of law present a tremendous number of apparent inconsistencies, non-sequitors, and just beyond the reasonable conundrums. The author tremendous dedication to this work really sorts out these issues buy showing the development and goals through the history of the Union. (And why the Socratic method is everywhere, much to the consternations of L1s everywhere)

Of course such a treaties requires a good effort to read, assimilate, and remember. Should you decide to read it in a bar on say, a lunch break, you get lots of curious questions, puzzled looks, and few invitations to dates, so be warned. Nonetheless, highly recommended for the all the people in this country that are interested in US history and legal history; yes, I recommend it to both of us.

I had to treat this book like a text book. Read a little here and there. Thoroughly researched, it provides the reader with a detailed history of American law. This book is a keeper.

If this edition is at all like the 2nd edition (what I am inferring from) then it will be a very readable history of American law up to 1900. It's something of a social history given the wealth of information on how law affected the family, the early commerce of the Republic, and industrial growth (and suffering it caused, see the chapter on torts). It is something of a social history. The early chapters on colonial law are a bit tough but are worth comparing to the changes that would follow. If you're at all interested in the law and how U.S. society evolved (and did harm, at times) this book and its sequel, American Law in the 20th Century, is very much worthwhile.