The Consumer's Guide to Understanding and Using the Law

Introduces the legal system, and discusses the law as it pertains to families, real estate, crime, consumer contracts, personal injuries, wills, work, and business

Library patrons who want access to understandable, concise language about the law will find it here in this worthwhile resource. Attorney Johnson, author of Legal Aspects of Buying and Selling a Home (1992), delves into real estate and other areas of law, including criminal, bankruptcy, personal injury, wills and trusts, workplace, and business law. In chapter 1, he capsulizes the legal system in general and effectively illustrates the basics of jurisprudence. A glossary of common legal terms and many appendixes with sample legal documents round out the book. Told with accuracy, this title is an extremely helpful tool. Mary Frances Wilkens

This is a "big picture" look at the U.S. legal system. Johnson's guide does not promise to help you file for divorce in Florida or tell you how to fight your traffic ticket in Kansas. It does present the major areas of law with which average people are concerned and the principles they need to protect their rights, their families, and their property. Chapters cover broad areas like family, employment, and business law. Emphasis is on understanding the theory, structure, and vocabulary of the applicable laws. The chapter on personal injury law, for example, presents tort theory, discusses types of negligence, and competently explains damages issues. Johnson's book is a good first source for anyone with a personal legal issue to explore. Readers will want to use it in conjunction with state-specific and subject legal guides. Recommended for public libraries.
- Joan Pedzich, Harris, Beach & Wilcox, Rochester, N.Y.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.