Nolo's Essential Guide to Divorce

I was speaking with a client this week regarding a business related matter that I am helping him with and he mentioned the expense of his divorce that he had a different attorney handling. He commented that only the attorneys win and they were the ones making money. I mention this, because I really like the message throughout this book that it is to everyone's benefit, and especially that of children, to make the divorce process as civil as possible. If you don't, you may find yourself in a battle such as Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in "The War of the Roses." To help save money, emotional turmoil, and a lot of time, Nolo's "Essential Guide to Divorce" by Attorney Emily Doskow is a great resource for those facing or going through divorce. The book is full of practical advice regarding the legal side of divorce but does not forget that there is an emotional side to divorce as well. Divorces can be very costly, the small amount paid for this book could save one a lot of time and money. The book starts out with a discussion on the differences between separation, divorce, annulments, etc. It is a good overview and introduction to the topic. Chapter two then delves into the first steps after you decide to divorce. There is a lot to do and this book helps you sort through what needs to be done when. Chapter three focuses on Uncontested Divorces, or when you can agree on how you want to divide things and part amicably. If only all divorces could be this easy. Chapter four is on mediation, or how you can work things out with the help of a mediator. In many states you have to go to a mediation as part of the court process. People can save a lot of money by seeking out a mediator at the onset and working toward resolution early rather than committing to long drawn out fights. Chapter five covers when you can't agree on things and you have a contested divorce and trial. Chapter six then covers custody decisions and parenting. Chapter seven continues by addressing custody disputes. From there, chapter eight goes into child support. Chapters nine and ten cover the division of marital property. Chapters eleven covers spousal support and health insurance, while chapter twelve covers special issues with military divorces. Chapter thirteen focuses on getting it in writing and covers the basics of preparing a marital settlement agreement. Chapter fourteen is an ugly chapter, but a necessary one, that covers issues regarding when things to wrong. Topics such as domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping, and bankruptcy are discussed here. Chapter fifteen has a lot of information related to after the divorce while chapter sixteen provides a lot of great resources to find additional information and where to get help. The appendix provides some additional information and some worksheets to assist you with things such as financial inventories, net worth, income and expenses and budgeting. Being an attorney, I really liked that this b

As someone just finishing up an acrimonious divorce I believe I am well-qualified to review this book. Nolo's Essential Guide to Divorce by Emily Doskow is comprehensive and can save you lots of money. How? You won't have to spend hundreds of dollars asking your attorney questions that are fully covered in these pages. It will even help you choose a lawyer. (Pages 118-119.) I found the style straightforward and clear. While it isn't written in a chummy way, there is sensitivity, and some kind comments that exhort you to take good care of yourself: body and mind. Almost everything was useful; especially, the differences between the various types of divorces and their comparative costs. There's even a special section for the military. I liked her perspective on parental issues; especially those pertaining to custody, and the parenting agreement (pages 366-9). In addition to the copious resources and websites, there were excellent book suggestions for every category of concern. When you think of all the money you will spend divorcing, it seems this very small investment could help ease some of your worries, and make you a far savvier client to your lawyer.

The Nolo Press is a 35-year leader in self-help legal books. Anyone facing a divorce needs to obtain a copy of this reference guide immediately, regardless of whether the divorce will be amicable, grudingly co-operative, or combative. This book will take you through the legal process of divorce as well discussing the social, emotional, and financial processes. It is a thorough guide in plain language and you'll want to keep a highlighter and some post-it flags handy for marking relevant passages. Nolo recommends mediation before litigation if at all possible, to save money and effort. The authors remind the reader that lawyers do not have the consumer's best interest at heart--their first priority is to protect themselves from malpractice lawsuits, and so they will be as thorough (and costly) as possible to meet that need. If both spouses read this book, it can provide an important wake-up call about saving as much money as possible for themselves and their children by pursuing divorce through mediation and co-operation. If your spouse is antagonistic, this book will tell you how to ensure that your best interests are covered when you hire a lawyer, and how to make the legal process work as smoothly as possible. If you live in California and are fortunate enough to have an uncontested divorce, you can save thousands of dollars in legal fees by using the Nolo book and CD-ROM How to Do Your Own Divorce in California.

Anyone faced with divorce needs to run, not walk, to Nolo's Essential Guide to Divorce, an updated legal resource which covers everything from the process and working with mediators and lawyers to how alimony, child support, and division of money and property are calculated. Also learn how to avoid court battles and draft a marital settlement agreement on your own - and learn common post-divorce issues which threaten such arrangements - in a guide written by an attorney-mediator in private practice who surveys everything from religion to property division laws. Public libraries in particular must have this. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

While going through a divorce can be difficult, this book shows that there are real, concrete ways to make it less so. The book is well organized. Written in plain English, it's also easy to understand. It offers good tips and links to other valuable resources. The book provides important guidelines for managing finances, preparing and filing legal papers, dividing property and more. The author continually stresses the importance of taking the high road, which helps keep the flame low on a potentially volatile situation. When both parties are in respectful relationship to each other, she writes, it helps ease the process and make for a smoother transition after the divorce, which is especially important when there are children to consider.