It would probably be quite safe to say that for the majority of us, our dealings with courtroom situations is mostly made up of that of which we see on TV. Maybe there are a few of us that have been summoned to jury duty, but having to really deal with the courts and legal settings is something very different. For those that have to be in these types of situations, often, they do not know how to go about it in a manner that will be best for their interest. There are so many different variables that can drastically sway a situation that the common person probably has no clue about. Did you know you can decide on the judge you want for the case? This week on The Malliard Report, Jim’s guest is an expert in this field and has made it his goal to better equip the common people for these often stressful and confusing situations. Judge Herb Dodell has served more than fifty years as both a lawyer and judge in the American legal system and has recently written the book From the Trench to the Bench – Navigating The Legal System and Finding Your Spiritual Path Along The Way. Basing upon the principles of Universal Law his book aims to “…help you learn to turn an unfortunate situation into an opportunity for personal growth.”
The reasoning behind the writing of his book is certainly noteworthy. The legal system is incredibly confusing, and not intended to benefit the common individual. Herb sets out to combat these anxieties by equipping the everyday person with some of the best advice that he has garnered over his years as a legal servant. His description for his reasoning behind the book explains it best: “… Most people know little about how the legal system really works. When exposed to it, they are faced with anxiety over what to do and fearful about the uncertainty over what to expect, how to get the right lawyer, their exposure and the expense. What is likely to happen? This is an emotional time. Knowing what to expect and how to deal with it is reassuring. For some, they just want to learn about the legal system. The book provides information for them. For those caught up in the legal system or who are about to get caught up in it, whether it is small claims court, restraining orders, general litigation, an eviction or a criminal matter, my intention is to give them practical guidelines from someone who has been there from the day-to-day battles to the perspective of the judge. What can they anticipate? What should they do? How should they deal with it? This book will tell them what they need to know so that they can navigate the legal system and make better choices.”
Herb shines a lot of light onto a topic that really hasn’t been covered here on The Malliard Report, but it certainly is incredibly interesting to the very end. Literally. Interview time ran out and the surface was barely scratched. You can find Herb’s book on any of the major online retailers, and it is available through his website where you can also listen to his podcast at judgeherbdodell.us You can also reach out to him through Twitter @JudgeHerbDodell. For all things Malliard head over to malliard.com and feel free to connect through social media as well.
