Legal Books

Arkansas attorney Gideon Page leaves his home in Little Rock to defend an African-American, Doss Bledsoe, indicted for allegedly killing his employer, Chinese-American Willie Ting. The case is being held in Bear Creek, Gideon's place of birth and a town he would prefer never to see again. The prosecution feels strongly that Page was hired by Paul Taylor, a white man, whose family cheated Page's family out of property.

The Prosecutor offers to plea bargain with Page and Bledsoe. The state would lighten his sentence in return for Doss's testimony against Taylor. Page likes the idea because it will enable him to obtain some vengeance against the wealthy Taylor family who destroyed his own family. However, this may not be the best defense for his client. Page, who starts the case very poorly, has to decide between giving his client his all or ignoring his legal responsibilities to seek vengeance against his enemy.

Gideon Page is a no frills lawyer, who makes certain that the reader understands that being an attorney is not necessarily a glamorous job. The first person narrative adds to the feeling of a hard working, but mentally warring lawyer trying to insure his client receives BLIND JUSTICE while trying to personally obtain revenge. The ending is pure nirvana (no Perry Mason rabbit out of the hat trick). Readers who want to peruse an exciting, interesting, but realistic legal novel, need to obtain all five of Grif Stockley's works. No one paints a more intriguing but honest portrayal than Mr. Stockley.

Harriet Klausner

One can hardly call this book a legal thriller. Ok, it's about a lawyer, Gideon Page, and it's the fifht installment in a series of very good legal thrillers, but the lawyering is very weak and the courtroom is only entered at the end of the book where the reader has already lost his interest for the plot.

The five stars are for a very good and insightful view on the relations and the character of Gideon. We know him from previous books as worrying about his daughter Sarah, his girlfriends Rainy and Amy, but in this book all the spotlight is on Gideon himself. It is a very subtle description of mid-life crisis. In everything he does he seems only to be able to concentrate on one thing; on himself. He has no problem, on a whim, to end a relationship with his girlfriend and also helping his client is made pursuant to his own vindicative feelings. I can't help liking him less then in previous novels, but I guess that is always the case when you probe in the life of your "heroes.

Apart from Gideon's own struggles, his observations of the Arkansas black/white scene are very interesting. The way he describes the county is completely politically incorrect, but honest and provoking.

For those who have not read any of the books in the series and who are looking for a legal thriller, do not buy this one but start on one of the earlier ones. For those who find interest in the Page family; don't miss this one!

Brilliant as usual, as always. Breaks out of the boxes that confine us outside while he serves time inside - wrongfully. But doing right - all the time. Thank you Sherman for your creative truth-telling and playful push. Keep on.

This is a fabulous book with some powerful writing. I hope the fans of American Stars will read this book. It's for young and for old. This is a little Grisham, Scott Turow and Gerry Spence all in one. I read it in one stretch from the first to the last page. This book is absolutely the best legal thriller this year. Sherman did a great job. Thanks!

This book totally rocks my world. Innes describes crime throughout mankind, starting with the popular poisoning method centuries ago to today's most notorious cases, including Jane and John Does, JonBenet pre-John Karr and O.J. Simpson. This book is packed with amazing stories, facts about forensices and hundreds of graphics and photographs.

GREAT gift for CSI fanatics or crime writers who don't already have this handy on their reference shelves.

Angela Wilson
Author

If you have the slightest interest in forensics, this is the book for you. If you love the CSI programs on tv, you'll love this book as it has all the details on how they solve the crimes. The author goes into amazing detail on the history and origins of all aspects of cutting edge forensics in use today. Some famous and infamous crimes are featured as well. Some of the photos are a little graphic - but if any of it helps solve another crime, it is worth it. It's a large book and not exactly bed-time reading but despite this I just couldn't put it down until I'd finished it.

This novel gives a great overview of some typical land use issues, cleverly woven into a tale of corruption, revenge, madness -- and love! It's an easy read, and left me thinking about both sides of the story, as well as some real-life land use issues in my own community. I truly enjoyed reading it.

This entertaining, easy-to-read book tells a story of a rezoning application leading to murder and mayhem, with crazed NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) activists fighting a vengeful mobster. Of course, this tale is not particularly realistic; most zoning disputes involve more compromise than this one. And the book's discussion of legal issues is pretty thin; you wouldn't learn the difference between a variance and a rezoning by reading it. But if you're going to read a novel, you might as well read one with some educational content- and this filled the bill for me.

I'm not a lawyer but I play one on television. If I was going to throw the book at someone, this is the book I would want to throw. I mean, it's a really BIG dictionary! Lots of words, but, unfortunately, no pictures. I especially like the definition of "wharfinger," also "Herkemer."

I am a member of the New York and Brazilian bars and have practiced law bridging the two jurisdictions for almost 30 years. In my practice, I have found Bouvier's Law Dictionary to be the only English-language law dictionary that cites and explains civil law concepts and institutions for the common-law lawyer. It is also the most useful English-language dictionary for the civil law lawyer trying to understand common law concepts, such as fiducuary duty, bailment, equity and the like.

In contemporary society, people increasingly rely on governmentto provide many goods and services. Those who champion governmentallocation of resources fail to consider both the effectiveness of government allocation and the moral questions involved. In the last century, resistance to government intervention, from paper money to economics regulation, was far more pervasive and effective than it is today. Indeed, today's Americans only have a faint understanding of the Constitution and its envisioned restraints on government activity. The Constitution and its philosophical underpinning are rarely taught and understood by most Americans. That is a remarkable change from the time of our nation's founding when a large percentage of Americans were conversant with the ideas of Locke, Cato, Paine and the Federalist Papers.

The Declaration of Independence, one of America's most important political documents, contains statements that are today greeted with hostility, or at best, viewed as extremist. The motif of America's inauguration has become too radical to discuss without extreme qualification, and those who want to use it to assail the present political process are labeled 'radicals.' Of course, the liberty-loving American founders also carried this sobriquet. Another characteristic of the modern age is that Americans have become carelessly oblivious to the historical struggle for the vast liberties they enjoy but the preservation of which they now seem to disregard.

Dr. Cobin's book is part of the growing literature of case studies legal-philosophical treatises that provide economic analyses of public policy. While many other studies about regulation have been produced, Dr. Cobin has provided a major contribution to local regulatory issues. Building regulation and the modern system of private property rights are areas which are taken for granted by most people. However, this book reveals that there are more than trivial policy defects in our system of private property rights. Dr. Cobin has established that there is a real need to re-examine how private property rights are regulated. In the same way that public choice theory has exploded the notion of altruistic bureaucrats and politicians, who serve the interest of the public to the disregard their private interests, Dr. Cobin's book unmasks local building regulations whose ostensible purposes are to serve the public interest.

The results of Dr. Cobin's work lead us into a new dimension of public policy deliberation, i.e., whether government regulations produce more or less safety than that provided through the market 'regulation.' If government regulations reduce the safety and quality of goods or services, then it is in the public interest to revise or eliminate such regulation. Dr. Cobin has also done a commendable job of demonstrating that market provision can produce efficient and effective regulation, even for informational services that are assumed to be public goods. After demonstrating the failings of government regulation and provision of information about quality, Dr. Cobin shows us that markets can do in building and safety regulations what it has done the rare coin and gemstone industries.

Dr. Cobin's work goes even further. In addition to suggesting an adequate policy alternative for a failing system of building regulation, he also resurrects an alternate legal philosophy of real property. This system, known as 'allodialism,' is not a novel concept but has deep roots in Western civilization. However, it has been obfuscated over the years in favor of feudalism. It may surprise many readers that the American system of real property, not to mention the rest of the world's is essentially feudalistic. This fact should be repugnant in America where the Founding Fathers sought to abrogate all fetters of tyranny and oppression. An allodial real property system would make private property rights absolute and not subject to any form of coercive taxation or regulation. Subsequently, allodialism would serve to secure rights to property as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence.

Hopefully, this study will provide the impetus for scholarship, in both case studies of local regulation and renewed discussion and analysis of allodial property rights. Not only can this book be added to the annals of regulatory studies which support market over government provision, but its philosophical basis can be used in basic disciplines, including law, economics, philosophy, political science and history. Dr. Cobin has made an important contribution to an important public policy area in a novel and frequently overlooked way.

This book provides evidence that the state has failed to provide building safety regulation in the public interest. Useful market alternatives are suggested to replace government regulation. A must read for anyone studying urban regulation or interested in policy applications from free market economics.

I'm so glad the issue of bullying from a legal point-of-view is finally being addressed. Maybe the legal system can help put an end to this phenomenon that too many take too lightly. Another book every educator and parent must read that looks at putting an end to it is Bully-Proofing Children: A Practical, Hands-On Guide to Stop Bullying. Written by an educator...it's solutions are practical and classroom- tested. Read them both- the more we know the more likely we will step up to the plate to stop it!

Bullying is a hot topic in the school communities, and this book addresses the case law and the way in which in-school harassment and bullying is treated by the legal system. The author has clearly done her research, and she explains court decisions and their impact on educators in a clear, straightforward manner.

Tad Crawford has written a whole series of books out of his expertise in the law and creative arts, with a special focus on visual arts. I'd suggest looking at Tad's other books, too, since this one is more action-focused without extensive explanations of the whys and wherefores of it.

"Business and Legal Forms" has the documents you'll need, such as contracts, model and property releases, copyright transer forms, publishing contracts and stock design forms. His descriptions are very helpful. Of greatest practical use, though, is the included media containing MS Word documents of all of the forms.

If you're just getting started in industrial design, you need this book!

This is a well crafted introduction to business forms, proposals, estimate sheets, and contracts; and I'm impressed that there is finally a publication specifically for industrial designers. The only apprehension I have is in the patent/trademark/copyright section, where the DIY form approach might not be the best idea, and actual legal help will be essential. These documents are a very good foundation, but a book alone cannot (and is not intended to) guide you in customizing forms to your own process, clients, or property... The companion CD is a huge plus with this book as well!

This book was used for my two semesters of Business Law in college and liked the book so much, I kept it.

Like any good textbook should, it covers all areas of business' legal environment and cites many past cases as examples to better illustrate the topic being covered.

Legal textbooks by nature are encyclopedic and ponderous, however, this text is one of the most interesting and compelling books I have ever read on the subject of law. The material is presented clearly and rationally and each topic is supplemented heavily by significant "real-world" examples. The examples are timely and upbeat and very interesting to read. You will find it difficult to avoid reading all the real-world examples at one sitting. If you are forced to purchase this text for a Business Law class.....count yourself lucky. This one is the best. If you are merely curious about the inner-workings of torts, contract law and intellectual propery rights, then this is the book to buy.

Item arrived as described. It took a little longer to arrive than I expected, but not terribly slow.

I doubted the content of the book at first thinking it'll just tell of normal business laws. But after the first chapter, I found this book actually being helpful in providing examples of cases that actually happened and how the business laws were applied. Even for normal reading, the book is surely interesting.