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Georgia Divorce Handbook by Harmon Caldwell BookLogix
book review by RJM Terrado
The term "divorce" is probably the most familiar and yet the least understood personal, legal, and cultural matter. In spite of the recent data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention showing that 3.6% of every 1,000 population in the country engages in divorce (6.8% of every 1,000 population get married), the public has little understanding of the technical side of the topic. In Georgia Divorce Handbook, Caldwell attempts to simplify the intricacies of the terminology.
Caldwell starts with a personal take on the issue by relating his experiences as a divorce lawyer. With this kind of approach, he curbs the technical nature and intimidating aspects of the topic. By stripping the preamble of highfalutin legal terms, he conditions the reader to a different type of discussion. Caldwell then introduces terms like trial judges, attorney-client privileges, and grounds and issues in divorce without losing the layman's touch. Resembling the introduction, Caldwell pens his conclusion with another take on marriage and divorce. He adopts a tone of a marriage counselor, rather than a cold and detached lawyer. It is a strength that puts the handbook ahead of others on the same topic.
As the title suggests, Georgia Divorce Handbook is focused on the state of Georgia. While this is the case, the foundational tenet of the handbook encompasses the general framework of divorce on the federal level. This means that Georgia Divorce Handbook can be of use to anyone in the country and people in other countries interested in grasping the general tenet of American divorce law.