Author of The Pro Se Litigant's Civil Litigation Handbook
- What inspired
you to write your book? My book is the result of over twenty years’
experience in litigation in various roles that began as a represented
litigant, then proceeded to a litigation manager for a case in which I was
sued for going to the aid of a friend and mentor, then to successive
levels as a paralegal, after which I became a self-represented litigant,
then represented others in states and Federal circumstances where I could
do so without having a law license.
Along
the way, I was able to observe all of the problems the average person involved
in litigation encounters – largely because they too often don’t have a clue
about how the litigation process actually works and what is actually required
to prevail in a civil lawsuit. As I helped those people along the way, I
realized that they needed a detailed set of instructions of what to do, how to
do it and when if they were involved in a lawsuit.
Whether
they are representing themselves as a pro
se litigant, or choose to hire a lawyer to do the work for them, my Pro Se Litigant’s Civil Litigation Handbook
is designed to provide them with the detailed knowledge of the litigation
process from pre-litigation investigation through trial on the merits that they
need to protect themselves – either by proceeding pro se or by monitoring what their attorney is doing to make sure
mistakes are kept to a minimum as the case proceeds.
- What is it
about? The Pro Se Litigant’s
Civil Litigation Handbook explains the civil litigation process from
the point of determining whether there is actually a case to be filed
through each succeeding step that is required to give readers the best
chance of prevailing in their lawsuit whether they are the plaintiff doing
the suing or the defendant being sued. It explains each successive step of
a civil lawsuit and provides checklists to help its readers keep track of
precisely where they are in the process and each detail of what must be
done at that time. The book provides a Glossary to teach readers how to
“speak litigation” so they can be as effective as possible as they proceed
through the process.
In
addition, it provides an Appendix of sample documents to show readers what
their documents should look like and the type of content they should contain to
have the maximum impact on the judge. Readers who are thinking of filing a
lawsuit to correct a wrong that has been done to them are shown how to get
organized and how to proceed as effectively as possible. Readers who much
defend against a lawsuit that has been filed against them are shown just what
steps are necessary for erecting a formidable defense.
- What do you
hope will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book? The
book is designed to answer the perennial question I have been asked by
litigants I have helped over the years: “Isn’t there an easy way to do
this?” My answer is always “No.” The first thing I tell them is that they
need to forget what their sixth grade teacher told them: that if they just
go to court and tell the truth everything will turn out alright.
Litigation is difficult and is too often tedious and exhausting. But it
just as often can’t be avoided. It has strict rules that must be followed,
and customs that must be respected and followed carefully. Learning the
process is not easy, but neither is it impossible.
It takes dedication and commitment to develop the
proficiency that is required. The goal of The
Pro Se Litigant’s Civil Litigation Handbook is to take the mystery out of
the litigation process to help readers understand that, if they have the basic
skills civil litigation requires, or are willing to learn them, they can
represent themselves or ably manage their lawyer in the protection of their
rights and recovery of their damages.
- What
advice do you have for writers? Whether you’re writing a book or a
legal brief or pleading, the goal should be the same: tell your story as
directly and succinctly as possible so that the reader understands what
you mean and what must be done to be successful at what you are proposing.
Different writing tasks require different styles and different skills.
Writing a motion to move a judge to action on your behalf is very
different from writing a children’s book to inspire a reader to a
different kind of action, or writing a how-to book to teach an adult a
practical skill. Understanding precisely what the goal of your writing
must be, and focusing on accomplishing that goal through your presentation
is the basic goal no matter what you are writing.
- Where do you
think the book publishing industry is heading? It is increasingly
obvious to me that fundamental and sweeping changes are happening in all
parts of our lives these days. A person can look at almost any part of the
surrounding world and recognize the impacts those changes are having on our
daily lives. In the two areas of most concern to me – litigation and
publishing – those trends are as striking as they are obvious. There has
been a steady increase of pro se
litigants representing themselves in courts across the United States at
every level of the state and Federal systems.
Today,
over five million pro se litigants
are involved in those courts. In publishing, the changes are just as dynamic
and unsettling. Where authors were required to compete in a narrow field of
book, magazine and newspaper outlets, today their opportunities are growing
exponentially. The development of self-publishing organizations have broadened
the print possibilities as quickly as e-publishing on the internet, through
e-books, and social media have opened up virtually unlimited possibilities to
writers in all fields and at all stages of experience. As a result, more
writers have more opportunities to reach more (and more varied) audiences than
ever before.
- What
challenges did you have in writing your book? Writing The Pro Se Litigant’s Civil Litigation
Handbook presented a number of challenges. The book is not intended to
be a substitute for a law school education. Yet, at the same time, it
needed to prepare its readers who intended to become involved in
litigation with a detailed explanation of what precisely is involved in
fighting a lawsuit and the most effective ways to do so.
Next,
it needed to provide step-by-step guidance through the civil litigation process
from beginning to end. I found the key to explaining the steps was the
development of the various checklists designed to keep the reader on track from
start to finish – and through each sub-process along the way.
Then
I needed to explain the requirements of effective legal writing and how it
differs from other forms of written presentation. There, I developed the
Glossary and Appendix to acquaint the reader with the specific words they
needed to understand to navigate the process and printed examples of what their
documents to be presented to the court should look and sound like.
Closely
following the content of the book should give the average pro se litigant the best chance of avoiding the common mistakes
that doom pro se litigants before
they start and give them the best chance of prevailing in their individual
lawsuits. Even if they decide that they do not have the necessary skills and/or
dedication to proceed pro se, the
book will acquaint them sufficiently with the civil litigation process to
manage their own litigation sufficiently to reduce their costs and prevent
their attorney or the attorney’s staff from making costly mistakes that the
litigant will ultimately have to pay for.
- If people can only buy one book this month,
why should it be yours? Virtually every adult needs to be able to
protect themselves from the possibilities of litigation that is increasing
exponentially in the United States. Whether they are simply protecting
themselves from the increasingly common scams that are ensnaring
consumers, or avoiding litigation resulting from an auto accident, dealing
with litigious landlords or neighborhood associations, or any of the other
dozens of situations that are becoming increasingly common in ensnaring
average individuals in the litigation process at some level, readers of The Pro Se Litigant’s Civil Litigation
Handbook will be prepared to evaluate what needs to be done when faced
with the prospect of civil litigation and protect themselves in the
process. Whether they need it now, or are simply likely to need later, it
is a reference book that should be close at hand to be immediately available
when it is required.
For more information, please
consult: http://www.proselitigantshandbook.com/
Please Click On The Best
Out Of 2,100 Posts
2016 Book Marketing & Book Publicity Toolkit
2015 Book Marketing & PR Toolkit
2014 Book Marketing & PR Toolkit
Book Marketing & Book PR Toolkit: 2013
Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog
are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter
@theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more
important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by
BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2016 ©.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.