Word of the Month for March 2014: Coercion

What sadist invented Valentine's Day?  Heck, from a guys perspective, little good can come from refusing to participate in V-Day.  I mean, look at the consequences of NOT joining in the festivities: sleeping on the couch, denial of services and (in the case of one friend of mine) separation and a nasty divorce - which all leads up to the word of this month: COERCION.

According to Black's Law Dictionary, COERCION is defined as compulsion by physical force or threat of physical force.  Coercion comes in many forms.  Some examples of coercion are blatant, others not so much.  

For example, this lady (sister 1) came into the library.  Seems Sister 1 had been taking care of the her very wealth father who had had a stroke rendering him unable to care for himself.  Sister 1 decides to go on a vacation and asks Sister 2 to watch father.  Sister 2 has a daughter.  Sister 2 allegedly tells father that unless he revokes all prior wills and draft a new will naming her sole beneficiary that he will never see his grand-daughter again.

Sister 1 comes home from vacation and Sister 2 goes about her business.  Later when Father dies, Sister 2 produces the will.  Sister 1 is, uh...angry and asks what she can read to "fix" things.  I suggest she take a look at:

• Page on Wills (Lexis)
• California Will Drafting (CEB)
• Handbook of the Law on Wills (West)

Another example?  A Guy comes to the library.  Seems Guy  really likes a particular young lady - but not in a marriage sort of way.  Young lady's dad doesn't like Guy at all.  What dad doesn't know is that Guy and lady have...uh...been having "relations" for some time and, subsequently, gets young lady pregnant.  When dad finds out, dad demands a wedding, Guy doesn't want to, dad owns several shotguns, Guy reconsiders, and a wedding date is set.  Guy comes into the library and wants to know how he can protect himself.  Stifling a laugh at the inside joke, I suggest he take a look at:

• Family Law in a Nutshell (West)
• Marital and Non-Marital Contracts (ABA)
• Premarital Agreements: when, why and how to write them (Harper & Row)

Ten minutes into his research, a look of relief washes over Guy and he is soon on his way to research nirvana.

While there are no guarantees that you will find immediate relief when you first walk into your local county law library, know that if you're ever under the gun and don't know where else to turn, know that your local county law Librarian is always ready to help you get to where you need to be.