Law For Dummies, 2nd Edition
by John Ventura, JD
Law For Dummies, 2nd Edition
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Copyright 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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ISBN: 978-0-7645-5830-6
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4
2O/RQ/QS/QV/IN
About the Author
John Ventura was a small-business owner, best-selling author, and attorney. He was also a national authority on consumer and small business financial and legal problems.
John earned an undergraduate degree in journalism and a law degree from the University of Houston. He envisioned providing ordinary people with affordable, caring legal services, and he hoped to educate people on how to use the law to protect their rights.
He and a partner established a law firm in Texas, building it into one of the most successful consumer bankruptcy firms in the state. When the partnership ended, John established the Law Offices of John Ventura in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. He also had a fourth office in Corpus Christi. His firm offered legal advice and assistance in the areas of bankruptcy and personal injury. During his 27 years as an attorney, Johns firm helped more than 12,000 consumers and small-business owners.
John was a frequent guest on radio programs across the country. He was interviewed by such publications as The Wall Street Journal,Newsweek,Inc.Magazine,Money Magazine,KiplingersPersonal Finance Magazine,Playboy,The New York Times, and The Chicago Tribune. He was also a guest on National Public Radio, CNNfn, CNBC, and Bloomberg Television and Radio.
John wrote about small business and consumer legal issues for a number of local publications in Texas. In addition, he was the author of 12 books for consumers and small-business owners.
Dedication
To my brother Frank, who is always there for me, and his wife, Cool Janet.
Authors Acknowledgments
Thank you to Mary Reed, whose vision matches my own and whose hard work on our projects far exceeds mine. I also want to thank her for the sound of the wind chimes I often hear when we talk by phone. They remind me that life can be simple and sweet.
Also, a heartfelt thank you to the people I work with every day: my friends and associates at the Law Offices of John Ventura, P.C. They guarded my time when I needed to work on this book, and they share my pleasure in helping people resolve their legal problems.
Thank you to Tim Gallan, my project editor for this book, and Elizabeth Rea, my copy editor. I truly appreciated their invaluable questions and comments during the editing process. They helped make this book better. Finally, a special thanks to my agent, Carol Mann.
Publishers Acknowledgments
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Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development
Senior Project Editor: Tim Gallan
Acquisitions Editor: Mikal Belicove
Copy Editor: Elizabeth Rea
Editorial Program Assistant: Courtney Allen
Technical Editor: Moises Salas
Editorial Manager: Christine Meloy Beck
Editorial Assistants: Hanna Scott, Melissa S. Bennett, Nadine Bell
Cover Photos: Getty Images/Photodisc Blue
Cartoons: Rich Tennant, www.the5thwave.com
Composition Services
Project Coordinator: Adrienne Martinez
Layout and Graphics: Andrea Dahl, Barry Offringa, Jacque Roth, Heather Ryan
Proofreaders: Leeann Harney, Jessica Kramer, Aptara
Indexer: Aptara
Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies
Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies