THE JACOBY & MEYERS PRACTICAL GUIDE TO EVERYDAY LAW

Once over the basics lightly--but clearly--from negligence and medical malpractice, through consumer rights (including debt, credit, real and personal property), to marriage and divorce, wills and criminal charges. While Jacoby & Meyers partner Koff's primer won't make anyone an expert on any of these, her brief ""q and a"" explanations of the general principles of almost all of them will give the budding litigant a reasonable idea of the legal framework of his or her action, and the terms in which it is likely to be couched. Koff's cautionary words on legal differences from state to state and the necessity of having a lawyer in certain situations are occasionally less rigorous than they might be, and her work lacks the more solid detail of Harnett (Put the Law on Your Side) on the legal basics or in the practical specifics of Sherkerjian (Competent Counsel) on hiring a lawyer. Her strong suit is defining the legal terms we all thought we knew but really didn't (no fault, maintenance, assault and battery), and running down the little things we've all had cause to wonder about (How old must I be to marry? What can I do about unsatisfactory mail-order merchandise?). Koff's knack for down-to-earth accessability should win a lot of friends for Jacoby & Meyers.