This book is a synopsis of the legal industry and a limited, basic "how to" for the individiual that can not afford an attorney. The "how to" advice is directed to the more mundane everyday type litigation which might confront a person on a daily basis. The forms and advice might vary a little with the specific jurisdiction and the timely publishing of this manual but the premise and foundation remain the same.

As a whole, attorneys, lawyers, judges or whatever you might call them, are known by the connotation of LEGAL WHORES in this non-fiction book. It is a deservedly appropriate title for this vocation. Before proceeding, please be advised that these are real, non-fiction accounts of what the legal fraternity does to extract money from the public which you might find incredible. There literally are no limits or bounds as to what the judicial fraternity will do to acquire wealth in whatever form, personal or real property. Two of the main attributes always used to extract money from his clients are the client's greed or emotions. The lawyer tells his client that they will win the case and the client will probably get a zillion dollars. The typical person in these United States, being a worshipper of riches, salivates at the prospect of getting unearned moneys from the sweat of someone else. This is easy prey for the attorney.

Then there is the emotional scenario where the client is involved in a situation that incurs his emotional wrath in say marital law and its ancillary causes or confrontational issues involving neighbors, family, business. This too is easy prey for the attorney. The attorney convinces his client that he can get the best of the oppostion in court, therefore, let's get 'em! Whether the merits of the case warrant litigation or not is purely incidental to the attorney's desire to line his pockets with the client's cash. Most litigation is simple, requiring little cost to the lititgant for resolution via mediation, arbitration or limited litigation. However, this sort of resolution puts little money in the pockets of the legal fraternity. Use psychology and prey on the client's greed and/or emotional behavioral attributes to extract the maximum amount of money (fees) from the clients for the attorney's efforts... efforts as defined by the attorney. When the case or litigation is concluded the attorney no longer can bill his client for fees. Where is the incentive for the lawyer to bring this litigation to a conclusion?

I have heard that every civilized society must have laws in order to survive. I cannot argue with this point. Nevertheless, I have great empathy with the manner in which these laws are augmented in today's society. The basic criteria for our legal system in this country is money. If you don't believe that, then you are either naive, dumb or stupid, or your child is a lawyer... or all of the above.

With the recent upswing in professional ethical misconduct, a comprehensive reeducation in ethical concepts is imperative. This text represents my understanding of the ethical principles from early Greek society to today's society. It clearly outlines the logical historical beginnings of ethical thought, gives students a greater appreciation for the validity of established ethical concepts, provides for a greater understanding of the various aspects of professional ethics and legal issues, and presents workable mechanisms for the prevention, management, and resolution of ethical and/or legal situations in the realm of dentistry.

While other texts on this subject appear to be written to appeal primarily to one audience (i.e. dentists or dental hygienists); this text will be valuable asset to dental students, dental hygiene students, practicing dentists, and practicing dental hygienists. By utilizing a simple, 'to the point' approach to dental ethics and legal issues; I feel that anyone who reads my textbook will benefit from my apporach to the subject matter.

The specific questions that this book will address are listed as follows:

• What is ethics?
• Where and how did ethics begin?
• How are ethics, religion, and the law related as guides for our actions?
• Are the concepts of Aristotle, Aquinas, and others valid for modern-day professional applications?
• How do ethical principles relate to the dental profession?
• What are some of the consequences for violations of ethical principles?
• What happens when ethical violations become legal problems, and what types of civil and/or criminal issues may practitioners face in today's society?
• How can practitioners minimize, manage and resolve the various ethical and/or legal situations they may encounter in modern dentistry and dental hygiene?

• Don’t go into the Alamo the Day Before the Mexicans Come Over the Wall
• Courtesy Counts
• Write What You Mean and Mean What You Write
• When in Doubt, Don’t! Remember the Advice, “Stop, Look, & Think!”
• Don’t Research for an Hour When a One Minute Phone Call Will Get You the Answer

• Don’t go into the Alamo the Day Before the Mexicans Come Over the Wall
• Courtesy Counts
• Write What You Mean and Mean What You Write
• When in Doubt, Don’t! Remember the Advice, “Stop, Look, & Think!”
• Don’t Research for an Hour When a One Minute Phone Call Will Get You the Answer

• Don’t go into the Alamo the Day Before the Mexicans Come Over the Wall
• Courtesy Counts
• Write What You Mean and Mean What You Write
• When in Doubt, Don’t! Remember the Advice, “Stop, Look, & Think!”
• Don’t Research for an Hour When a One Minute Phone Call Will Get You the Answer

• Don’t go into the Alamo the Day Before the Mexicans Come Over the Wall
• Courtesy Counts
• Write What You Mean and Mean What You Write
• When in Doubt, Don’t! Remember the Advice, “Stop, Look, & Think!”
• Don’t Research for an Hour When a One Minute Phone Call Will Get You the Answer

• Don’t go into the Alamo the Day Before the Mexicans Come Over the Wall
• Courtesy Counts
• Write What You Mean and Mean What You Write
• When in Doubt, Don’t! Remember the Advice, “Stop, Look, & Think!”
• Don’t Research for an Hour When a One Minute Phone Call Will Get You the Answer