STANDARD LEGAL

Make Money in the Legal Field -- Without Going to Law School!

2009-05-27T20:41:00.007-05:00

Have a business website? A personal web site? A Facebook or MySpace page? You could be making money with Standard Legal.

Standard Legal's do-it-yourself legal forms software covers such a wide variety of common legal topics that just about any business or personal web site can match the interests of its target audience to a title that makes sense.

Have a family or social site? Just about every family can use a Will to protect the their assets and a Living Will to tell their family about their health care wishes if they have a tragic accident or illness.

Many businesses need to Incorporate, form an LLC, or create an Employee Manual.

People sell real estate, get married or divorced, file for bankruptcy, and much more -- EVERY DAY.

Take a quick look at the list of legal forms software titles offered by Standard Legal and it's easy to make connections between the content of a personal or business web site and a one of our offerings.

So how can you make money? Standard Legal offers its affiliate partners a 50% commission on sales they help generate! Simply place a link from your website to Standard Legal, add some personal thoughts or ideas on how our products might work for your readers, and watch what happens. This is a significant revenue opportunity -- and all you have to do is help people by telling them about a way to solve common legal issues in an affordable way!

Please take a minute to read the information about Standard Legal's Marketing Partners Program. It's easy to implement and is a great money-making option in the legal field!

Our New Blog: Ask Standard Legal

2009-02-27T10:27:00.003-05:00

Standard Legal is proud to announce it's brand new "Ask Standard Legal" blog, located at http://www.StandardLegal.com/blog/.

All new posts will be made to the 'Ask Standard Legal' blog, including answers to your legal questions, information about our software formats and updates, legal forms usage suggestions and more.

Standard Legal will no longer maintain this site at Blogger; please visit 'Ask Standard Legal' for all new posts and information.

Have a Question? Ask Standard Legal!

2009-01-12T10:33:00.008-05:00

Do you have a legal issue or situation and you're not sure of the best way to handle it?

Then Ask Standard Legal!

Standard Legal has created a brand new forum where people can ask their legal questions for free. We'll review each question and do our best to point you in the right direction with a personal, confidential email reply. The best of these questions will be made "generic" and posted to the blog so that others may learn from them (of course, only after making the post completely general in nature; you can see what we mean at http://www.StandardLegal.com/blog/).

While we cannot provide any direct legal advice, we can offer suggestions about available ways to handle common legal issues: Last Will and Testament, Bankruptcy, Divorce, Deeds, Living Wills, Trusts, Lease Agreements, Premarital Agreements, Incorporation or LLC, and much more.

Sometimes these suggestions take the form of ways you might handle the situation yourself, other times the suggestion is that you need help from an attorney (and we can help you find one for FREE).

So if you have a question, visit our "Ask a Question" page.

Want to see the answers of the most common legal questions we get (listed by specific legal topic)? Then visit Ask Standard Legal!

Use Common Sense When Making Legal Choices

2008-08-20T10:59:00.004-05:00

Hiring an attorney. Handling a legal matter yourself "pro se". Creating your own legal documents. Using a legal document preparation service.

A person always has choices when it comes to dealing with any law related issue. But some of those choices make more sense than others.

If you are facing litigation, if you want to file a lawsuit against someone, or if are caught in some type of criminal or civil case, it is wholly unwise to handle such a matter on your own. Any time a trial is expected or you will have to "wage legal war" to resolve a dispute, it's time to find a lawyer. [Click here to find a qualified attorney near you for any type of legal matter for FREE!] Unless you have a substantial amount of legal knowledge, representing yourself in a substantial courtroom proceeding is, simply put, a bad idea.

But if you are looking to handle a common legal matter, like creating a Will or a Living Will, filing a Deed, creating basic Real Estate Contracts, filing for Incorporation or LLC for your business, creating an Employee Manual, even handling some types of straight-forward Bankruptcy and Divorce cases, you have the option of representing yourself and saving the high cost of attorney's fees. In such cases, you can use do-it-yourself legal forms or you can have a professional create completed forms for you through a legal document preparation service.

Which ever route you decide to go, make certain you do plenty of research in advance, and use common sense in making your final decision. You wouldn't operate on your own gall bladder, but you certainly can take a couple of aspirins when you know you have a headache. Use the same type of common sense approach when making decisions on handling your legal issues.

Pro Se Law in a Tough Economy

2008-05-13T12:44:00.006-05:00

When the housing market is in free fall, when inflation begins to kick up, and when the price of food and gas starts to make even upper-middle income households sit up and take notice, people begin to question every expense more and more.

So when it comes to handling common legal situations like creating a Will, filing for No-Fault Divorce or Bankruptcy, or drafting a Lease, a Land Contract or a Real Estate Purchase Agreement, many Americans search to see if there is another option besides the high cost of attorney fees.

And people that find Standard Legal realize that there are affordable "pro se" (self help) legal solutions available.

Standard Legal offers legal forms software and document preparation services that allow everyday people to handle common legal situations on their own. And the costs are significantly less -- sometimes hundreds and even thousands of dollars less --than what an attorney would charge for the same end product.

Remember, if your legal situation is complicated or you need legal advice, we most certainly recommend that you find a qualified local attorney or law firm.

But if your legal situation is straight-forward, you should investigate whether legal forms software or document preparation services are an affordable option that can meet your needs.

#

Standard Legal vs. LegalZoom.com

2008-03-17T14:34:00.005-05:00

Been listening to politics on talk radio? Watching the cable TV news shows lately? If so, you've experienced a number of advertisements from one of our competitors, Legal Zoom.

So how do the legal form products of Standard Legal and LegalZoom.com compare?

You'll be pretty surprised. CLICK HERE for details...

Spring 2008: Time to Update or Create Your Will

2008-02-26T08:25:00.006-05:00

Spring is creeping up on us, and it's a perfect time to reassess your lifetime financial and estate situation. It's a perfect time to make sure your Last Will and Testament and your Living Will are up to date, and say what you want them to say.

If you don't already have a Will (document detailing how your assets will be distributed upon your death) and a Living Will (document detailing how you want healthcare situations handled should you be unable to provide those instructions), you need to create those documents now. It is wise to provide that information to your family in advance, so that they do not have to struggle over guessing what your wishes might be after the fact.

And if you do have a Last Will and Testament and a Living Will but have not reviewed or updated it lately, it might be wise to do so. There have been some major changes to the way a Living Will is structured (it's now more accurately called an Advanced Healthcare Directive), so if it's been over five years since you created these documents, my may wish to do it again.

Standard Legal can help: from now until the end of March, Standard Legal will offer a "Family Wills" package: a Will and a Living Will combined into the same software package, and sold at 25% off the normal price! Details on the Family Wills software are here.

Want a professional to create these documents for you? Please review our Legal Document Preparation Service.
.

Court-Mandated Bankruptcy Forms Update

2007-11-30T13:23:00.000-05:00

The United States Bankruptcy Court recently mandated a number of form revisions that must be in place on all forms filed with the Court after December 1, 2007.

Rest assured, Standard Legal already offers these updated forms in its software!

When you purchase legal forms software from Standard Legal, the forms you receive are valid and up-to-date. Get complete details on these updates from our Bankruptcy Software page.

Standard Legal Software Titles Upgraded to v5

2007-11-30T13:12:00.000-05:00

Standard Legal is constantly updating its software forms. We make changes to the baseline content of the forms quite frequently, as laws change, local or state requirements are adjusted, etc. Some updates are bigger than others; this latest one is big.

We are currently in the process of making all of our PDF format forms even more user friendly by updating to a "Version 5".

The primary benefit of this new v5 format is that it allows Acrobat Reader users to fill in the answers to the legal form fields and then SAVE the document with the fields fully completed and retained.

Also, these newly updated PDF forms handle the form field "prompt information" differently. Each form field in the PDF format has a corresponding "?" mark in a yellow circle that provides written guidance as to the wording or information that is to be entered into that specific line; it's now even easier to understand the request for each field and then complete it.

Details of the PDF upgrade can be found here.

Standard Legal has updated more titles to its new Version 5. Now all of the following titles are posted as v5 files:

Bankruptcy
Last Will & Testament
Living Will
Employee Manual & HR Legal Forms
Living Trust
Land Contract
Quitclaim Deeds
Premarital Agreement
Separation Agreement
Power of Attorney
Incorporation

Previous buyers of any of these titles can log in to the online version to access these most recent forms. (Use the links provided upon the completion of your transaction.)

The remainder of the v5 titles will be updated soon!

SHOULD YOU "DO IT YOURSELF" WHEN IT COMES TO LEGAL MATTERS?

2007-02-05T14:06:00.000-05:00

Representing yourself in any type of legal matter without the benefit of legal counsel is referred to as acting "Pro Se". Pro Se (pronounced 'pro say') literally means "on one's own behalf" -- you choose to act on your own without hiring an attorney.

Legal self representation applies to more than just court proceedings; actions like creating a Last Will and Testament, filing a Deed, handling your own Divorce or filing for Bankruptcy all fall under the pro se category, provided you complete the legal forms and file the paperwork without the advice or representation of a lawyer.

WHAT TYPE OF PEOPLE REPRESENT THEMSELVES?

A variety of legal organizations and bar associations have conducted studies of self-represented litigants, and these studies show that a wide variety of individuals rely upon themselves for handling their legal issues:

• Persons with lower than average incomes are more likely to represent themselves.

• A significant portion of self-represented individuals report they could have afforded to hire an attorney to represent them, but that they chose not to do so.

• Some studies show that those who represent themselves are far more likely to be satisfied with the legal process than those who are represented by attorneys.

• Three quarters of those who represented themselves in court said they would do it again before they hired an attorney.

WHY DO PEOPLE CHOOSE TO REPRESENT THEMSELVES?

Likewise, the reasons that people offer for representing themselves in legal matters are as many as they are varied:

• Lawyers are too expensive

• Many feel that lawyers do not deliver quality services, fail to return telephone calls, and treat their clients in an unfriendly or unprofessional manner

• For many, their cases or situations are simple enough to handle themselves or involve simple legal document preparation and filing

• People know their own situation best and believe that they are in the best position to address any issues that may face

• People want to be in control of their own lives, circumstances and situations

IS REPRESENTING YOURSELF LEGAL -- OR WISE?

In every state in the United States, individuals are permitted to represent themselves inside the courtroom and/or to handle their own legal issues without the assistance of a lawyer. (This does not mean, however, that non-lawyers can act for or on behalf of any other person or even represent a corporation or limited liability company that they own; to do this, one must be a licensed attorney.)

Lawyers often suggest that one is "foolish" for representing one's self, whether in court or for transactional or other legal matters. However, those armed with the correct information and technology -- including the appropriate legal forms and legal documents -- as well as the desire to address their own legal issues can achieve the same results themselves as they would with a lawyer. Of equal importance, those persons can save themselves hundreds -- if not thousands -- of dollars in the process.

WHAT TOOLS EXIST TO HELP A PERSON SELF-REPRESENT?

Whether the self-help individual is looking to transfer real property, file for a divorce, loan money, sell property or set up a business, the use of accurate and up-to-date legal forms and documentation is essential. In many cases, individuals seeking the assistance of an attorney could achieve the very same result by obtaining, completing and filing/recording with the appropriate court or government entity the necessary valid and binding legal forms.

Most common legal matters involve the use of some kind of standardized legal form. For years, courts and attorneys have created these standardized forms and the use of these forms has been ongoing, often without any changes in the form or document for substantial periods of time. The use of the forms by individuals who are not lawyers does not, in any way, make these forms any less valid or binding. As long as the form or document utilizes the legal "magic words" and complies with the governmental regulations with regard to content and usage, the document is effective -- even when completed and filed by a non-lawyer.

Of equal importance to the legal forms themselves are the instructions to complete the forms correctly. Many times, a person may be able to find a generic legal form from a government agency or court website, but typically those documents will not provide any type of instructions or overviews to help a person complete and file them. So unless the person has a keen understanding of the law and its processes -- including any state-specific requirements that are usually not spelled out on the form -- the blank documents from a government or court website will be unmanageable for the average person.

So how can the average person gain access to the types of legal forms needed for common issues like Bankruptcy, Wills, Divorce, etc. with the proper instructions included? A number of the most common "do it yourself legal forms" are available in downloadable software format from companies like Standard Legal and others, at a price significantly less than the cost of hiring an attorney.

WHEN SHOULD YOU CONSULT AN ATTORNEY?

No one can argue that there are times when it may be necessary -- or at the very least highly advisable -- to consult a qualified attorney to handle a legal matter. Especially difficult for pro se cases are those with intensive litigation and court proceedings. For many, representing one's self in a personal injury and medical malpractice case may be ill advised. Complex business transactions or matters involving the IRS may call for the advice of an attorney. Likewise, if any individual has questions concerning the proper procedure for any legal matter or transaction, is unsure the steps that must be followed to achieve a specific legal goal, or has any difficulty in understanding or completing legal forms, then those persons should seek the advice of an attorney.

Self representation makes sense at times, but let common sense prevail! Don't let anger, stubbornness or "penny pinching" cloud your judgement when important legal matters can have long term effects.

Professional Legal Forms Software for Paralegals, Law Firms and Attorneys

2006-09-25T12:22:00.000-05:00

Paralegals, document preparation companies, attorneys and law firms: Standard Legal now offers a professional version of its legal forms software!

America's leading legal form software company now offers a Professional Version that is licensed for use by legal professionals on behalf of their clients. Formatted with the most common document preparation tools, this software helps those in the legal industry to prepare documents quickly and easily.

Specific legal document segments are offered by topic, and discounted "packages" for similar titles are available. Or purchase the entire Standard Legal Software Library!

Learn more here: http://www.standardlegal.com/attorney-paralegal-software.html

Document Preparation Services Launched

2006-08-29T17:05:00.000-05:00

Need a completed legal document, but don't want to "do it yourself"? Don't want to pay high attorney fees?

Now there is an AFFORDABLE solution: Legal Document Preparation Services from Standard Legal.

Standard Legal's document preparation professionals will assist you in creating the finished legal documents you need. Using the detailed information you provide to us via our easy-to-use online tools and/or personal contact, Standard Legal will help you complete and output the legal documents you require quickly, easily and professionally. With Standard Legal, you can skip the frustration of trying to figure out how to do it yourself and eliminate the fear of making a mistake!

The Legal Document Preparation process is simple, affordable and efficient. By providing the required information and making a few well-reasoned legal decisions, you will save HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS when compared to employing the services of a lawyer or law firm. And the finished documents will match those that can be created by any attorney!

Standard Legal provides these document preparation services:
Last Will & Testament
Living Will
Will & Living Will SPECIAL
FSBO Home Sale
Quitclaim Deeds
Land Contract
Incorporation
Limited Liability Co.
Partnership Agreement
Employee Manual
Lease Agreement
Power of Attorney
Promissory Note
Cohabitation Agreement

Get complete details here: Legal Document Preparation Services

"Life Partner Cohabitation Agreements" Title Added

2006-05-10T20:47:00.000-05:00

Standard Legal has launched a new software title to help unmarried couples protect their legal rights -- individually and jointly. Entitled "Life Partner Cohabitation Agreements", the software is relevant to a growing number of Americans.

Unmarried "Life Partners" (be it a man and woman or same-sex partners) who live together in a long-term situation often need to address highly important legal concerns such as finances, health care, property rights, and after-death transfer issues. Since unmarried couples who live together generally do not have the same legal structures or protections available to them as do married people, it is important that the partner couple address these issues with a comprehensive set of legal documents.

Standard Legal's Life Partner Cohabitation Agreements software contains several different formats of Cohabitation Agreements, Last Will and Testaments, Quitclaim Deeds, and a Living Will / Advanced Healthcare Directive, along with the comprehensive instructions necessary for the use of each form.

Marketing Partners Wanted

2006-03-09T14:18:00.000-05:00

Standard Legal is looking for new affiliate Marketing Partners! If you manage a web site and want to make money selling premium-quality do-it-yourself legal software, the Marketing Partners Program may be for you. In addition to an industry-leading 50% commission rate, Standard Legal has recently expanded the tools offered to help you promote our software titles. Learn more and apply for the program at http://StandardLegal.com/Partners/

The Standard Legal Law Library

2006-02-08T17:31:00.000-05:00

New to Standard Legal! We've just launched our brand new Law Library!

The Standard Legal Law Library houses a collection of articles covering various legal topics -- written in plain English for everyday people. Here, we've created a resource that can be used by anyone to learn more about common legal issues. Our library is geared towards those looking for general information on a wide range of legal topics that affect their daily lives, for those in need of a starting point to allow for further research of more complicated legal matters, and for those seeking information and answers to simple and common everyday law-related issues.

Please browse the list of legal articles in the Law Library; they are easy to read, easy to understand, and filled with relevant information!

Standard Legal Software Titles

2006-01-16T14:26:00.000-05:00

BANKRUPTCY
If filing for Bankruptcy is your only solution to unbearable debt, then Standard Legal's Bankruptcy Software, with all of the necessary forms and comprehensive instructions, will save you time, money and stress. This easy to use web-based kit contains "fill-in-the-blank" forms to complete your filing without an attorney. Legal and valid in all states. THESE FORMS ARE UPDATED EACH TIME A BANKRUPTCY LAW OR ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION IS REVISED -- including the revisions for the Bankruptcy Act of 2005!

DIVORCE (No Fault WITHOUT Children)
File for Divorce without an attorney! This Divorce software package is offered for couples without children. This software is state-specific, allowing any USA resident to file a no-fault divorce in their state. The divorcing parties must both be in agreement with the terms of the divorce. Includes all forms and instructions.

EMPLOYEE MANUALS & HR LEGAL FORMS
Businesses with even a few employees need certain legal safeguards. Prevent unwarranted litigation while giving clear employment guidelines! This complete human resource package includes all of these important documents: Employee Handbook, Employment Contract, Consultant Agreement, Sales Rep Agreement, Employment Application, Employee Arbitration Agreement and Employee Review Forms! BONUS: Federally-Required Employee Posters!

FSBO (For Sale by Owner) HOME SALE
Sell your home on your own without the expenses and commissions of a real estate agent! It's easier than you might think when you do it "FSBO" (For Sale by Owner)! Standard Legal Software's For Sale By Owner Home Sale software package allows anyone to quickly and easily create the legal documents necessary to sell your home and close the deal. Save thousands of dollars in agent commissions! Keep the equity that you've earned when you sell!

GENERAL PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
Form a General Partnership with your business team! This Standard Legal Software package will allow you and your partners to create the legal documents necessary to clearly outline the ownership structures, capitalization records, operations plans, financial shares and distribution schedules for your partnership. Partnerships allows for simple decision-making and administration; it's even easier with Standard Legal Software!

IMMIGRATION & NATURALIZATION
Prepare all of your United States Citizenship, Immigration and Naturalization applications online -- and have the affordable option to have the completed forms checked and validated by an U.S. Immigration Expert! The process of managing and completing U.S. Immigration applications can be both costly and confusing. Standard Legal has made it simple to understand and complete U.S. Citizenship (Naturalization) applications online and on your own or with the help of an INS Expert!.

INCORPORATION
Incorporate your business quickly and easily using Standard Legal's Incorporation Software! First, review the detailed options available to you for incorporating your business; it is critical that you create the structure that will best suit your company's situation. Examine structures like C-Corporations and S-Corporations. Then use the most up-to-date forms available to legally incorporate your business! Clear instructions and pertinent advice make Standard Legal's Incorporation Software the perfect solution for incorporating your business!

LAND CONTRACT
If you wish to sell a piece of real estate you own and are willing to finance it on behalf of the buyer, then you need to create a legal document called a Land Contract. Growing in popularity, a Land Contract provides the seller with increased revenues through the generation of interest payments, while allowing buyers to get into a home for which they might have difficulty finding bank financing otherwise. Includes both installment and balloon payment Land Contract structures.

LEASE AGREEMENTS
If you own property and want to rent it to a person or business, this Standard Legal Software package is of great value. The software allows you to quickly and easily create a comprehensive Lease Agreement that is tailored to most every situation. Apartment Leases, Home Leases, Furnished and Unfurnished, Office Leases, Lease Assignments, Triple-Net Leases, even a Lease Application and Leases for Equipment! Protect your property and your revenues with this lease-writing software!

LLC (Limited Liability Co.)
Create a Limited Liability Company quickly and easily using Standard Legal's LLC Software! A detailed list of considerations for creating an LLC are presented first. Then use the most up-to-date state-specific forms available to create a legal and valid Limited Liability Company! Finally, a template for developing the LLC's Operating Agreement finishes the process. Clear instructions and pertinent advice make Standard Legal's LLC Software the perfect solution!

LIVING TRUST
Plan your estate with this comprehensive Living Trust software! For years, financial planners and attorneys have used Living Trusts as a way to ensure that property is protected and passed on from one generation to the next. A Revocable Living Trust provides a safe and legal way to manage your assets -- both during your lifetime and upon your death. And since the software includes all of the legal forms and detailed instructions necessary to create either a Joint Trust, a Single Trust or an A/B Trust, the Living Trust software from Standard Legal is a great value in one easy-to-use package!

LIVING WILL with Power of Attorney
Prepare in advance for a variety of health-emergency situations with a Living Will! Give specific details and instructions about your healthcare to your friends and family with this Standard Legal Software Living Will program. This Advanced Healthcare Directive contains not only the Living Will documents, but also a Health Care Power of Attorney document and a Durable Property Power of Attorney document! A great value! Choose the most comprehensive Living Will package available -- direct from The Standard Legal Network!

POWER OF ATTORNEY
Create a customized, fully legal Power of Attorney document in minutes! This Standard Legal Software package allows anyone to quickly and easily create a Power of Attorney document that is tailored to fit most every personal situation. This software includes both a Limited Power of Attorney for specific situations, or the more general Durable Power of Attorney to handle a broader range of issues. Valid in all states once notarized. The Standard Legal Power of Attorney!

PREMARITAL AGREEMENT
With the recent increase in marriages between people who have accumulated substantial assets -- especially those entering second marriages and senior citizen marriages -- a greater need has come about for couples to create a Premarital Agreement. A Premarital Agreement details in advance any and all financial structures should the marriage come to an end, leaving both persons (and the heirs of those persons) protected and secure. Standard Legal makes creating this Premarital Agreement step-by-step simple!

PROMISSORY NOTES
If you plan on lending money or valuables to someone -- even if it is a close friend or family member -- it often makes sense to put the expectations of the loan in writing, to avoid confusion or ill-will later. "Get it in writing" is the function of a Promissory Note: to outline the terms and repayment schedule of a loan. Create a comprehensive, legal Promissory Note in minutes using this Standard Legal Software package!

QUITCLAIM DEEDS, WARRANTY DEEDS, SURVIVORSHIP DEEDS
If you need to transfer the ownership of real property from one person to another, you will need to create a Quitclaim Deed (a document that states the seller no longer has a claim to the property) and a Warranty Deed (a document that states that the property is clear of liens and other title issues). Using this Standard Legal Software package, the creation of these deeds is as simple as reading an instruction and filling in the blank! Also includes Survivorship Deeds.

SEPARATION AGREEMENT
When a married couple wishes to separate, it can be a highly emotional time. If you and your spouse have decided that a separation is best, it may be wise to put the details and expectations in writing with a Separation Agreement. The Standard Legal Software Separation Agreement outlines issues such as alimony, child support, real estate, debts, personal property, custody, visitation, etc. Quickly and easily create a comprehensive Separation Agreement with help from The Standard Legal Network.

WILL (Last Will & Testament)
Prepare today for the financial future of your loved ones with a Last Will and Testament! This Standard Legal Software package allows anyone to quickly and easily create a comprehensive Last Will & Testament document that is tailored specifically to most every personal situation. Don't let the court decide the outcome of your estate! Don't delay the distribution of your assets to your loved ones! Write your Last Will & Testament today with Standard Legal Software!

The Standard Legal Network

2006-01-16T14:20:00.000-05:00

Standard Legal helps people handle common legal issues on their own, using do-it-yourself legal software. Visit StandardLegal.com for complete details!