Shae Irving J.D. - Nolos Encyclopedia of Everyday Law: Answers to Your Most Frequently Asked Legal Questions

7th Edition

Nolo's Encyclopedia
of Everyday Law

Answers to Your Most Frequently
Asked Legal Questions

by Shae Irving, J.D. & Nolo editors

7th Edition

Nolo's Encyclopedia
of Everyday Law

Answers to Your Most Frequently
Asked Legal Questions

by Shae Irving, J.D. & Nolo editors

Dedication

For Edward F. Dolan

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Jake Warner for inspiring and supporting this project. And thanks to all the Nolo editors and hardworking production folks who keep the book on track. For this edition, we'd particularly like to acknowledge Kathleen Michon, Susan Putney, and Robert Wells.

We're also grateful to every Nolo author whose fine work has shaped these pages. You'll find many of these talented individuals listed in the Contributors section on the following page. But we want to give special thanks to:

Paul Bergman and Sara Berman-Barrett, authors of Represent Yourself in Court and The Criminal Law Handbook

David W. Brown, author of Beat Your Ticket: Go to Court and Win!

Denis Clifford, author of many Nolo titles, including The Quick &Legal Will Book, Nolo's Simple Will Book, and Make Your Own Living Trust, and coauthor of Plan Your Estate and A Legal Guide for Lesbian & Gay Couples

Frederick W. Daily, author of Stand Up to the IRS and Tax Savvy for Small Business.

Stephen R. Elias, author of numerous Nolo books, including The New Bankruptcy: Will It Work for You?, Special Needs Trusts: Protect Your Child's Financial Future, How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, and Legal Research: How to Find & Understand the Law

Cora Jordan, author of Neighbor Law: Fences, Trees, Boundaries &Noise and coauthor (with Denis Clifford) of Plan Your Estate

Mimi E. Lyster, author of Building a Parenting Agreement That Works: How to Put Your Kids First When Your Marriage Doesn't Last.

Anthony Mancuso, author of Incorporate Your Business, How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation (national and California editions), Form Your Own Limited Liability Company, The Corporate Records Handbook, and LLC or Corporation?

Joseph Matthews, author of How to Win Your Personal Injury Claim and Long-Term Care: How to Plan &Pay for It, and coauthor (with Dorothy Matthews Berman) of Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions

Fred S. Steingold, author of The Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business and The Employer's Legal Handbook.

Contributors

Ilona Bray Illona's legal background includes solo practice as well experience in the nonprofit and corporate worlds. She has written or coauthored several Nolo titles, including Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits, Becoming a U.S. Citizen, and Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home.

Catherine Caputo Before joining Nolo, Cathy was an attorney in private practice assisting start-up and small business clients with a wide range of legal needs. She edits small business books and software and also focuses on issues affecting seniors, such as Social Security benefits and retirement. Cathy received her law degree, with honors, from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Amy DelPo Amy has been an editor at Nolo since January 2000. She specializes in workers' rights, sexual harassment law, employment law, criminal law, and civil litigation. She brings more than six years of criminal and civil litigation experience to her work at Nolo, having litigated cases in all levels of state and federal courts, including the California Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court. Amy received her law degree, with honors, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Emily Doskow Emily is a Nolo author and editor, and a mediator and attorney in private practice in Berkeley, California, specializing in adoption and family law, especially for same-sex couples. She is the coauthor of several

Nolo books, including Nolo's Essential Guide to Divorce, Becoming a Mediator, Do Your Own California Adoption, and How to Change Your Name in California.

Diana Fitzpatrick Diana worked on municipal finance issues at the San Francisco City Attorney's office before joining Nolo. She also worked at a law firm in New York for several years before moving to the Bay Area. Diana is a graduate of New York University School of Law and Barnard College.

Lisa Guerin During her years as a law student at Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, Lisa worked for Nolo as a research and editorial assistant. After a stint as a staff attorney at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Lisa has worked primarily in the field of employment law, in both government and private practice. Lisa rejoined Nolo in 2000 and is the coauthor of several employment titles, including Create Your Own Employee Handbook and Dealing With Problem Employees.

Shae Irving Shae graduated from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley in 1993 and began working for Nolo in 1994. She has written extensively on durable powers of attorney, health care directives, and other estate planning issues. She is the managing editor for Nolo's Quicken WillMaker Plus software.

Bethany K. Laurence Beth graduated from Hastings College of the Law at the University of California in 1993. She spent several years working for a corporate legal publisher before coming to Nolo. She joined Nolo's editorial staff in 1997 and has never been happier. Beth is the coauthor of Nolo's Business Buyout Agreements and the editor of many of Nolo's small business books.

Janet Portman Janet received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Stanford University and a law degree from the University of Santa Clara. She was a public defender before coming to Nolo. Janet is Nolo's managing editor, the author of Every Landlord's Guide to Finding Great Tenants, and the coauthor of many Nolo titles, including Every Landlord's Legal Guide, Every Tenants Legal Guide, Renters' Rights, and Negotiating the Best Lease for Your Business.

Mary Randolph Mary has been editing and writing Nolo books and software for more than a decade. She earned her law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, and her undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois. She is the author of Deeds for California Real Estate, The Executor's Guide, and other Nolo materials.

Alayna Schroeder Alayna graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and worked as an employment attorney before joining Nolo's staff in 2005. In addition to editing employment and real estate titles, she is coauthor of Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home.