Copyright © 2007 by New Jersey State Bar Association; Gann Law Books has another winner on its hands with New Jersey Appellate Practice by Jeffrey S. Mandel. The book is well-organized in the standard format we have become accustomed to from other Gann Law publications. It is also comprehensive in both scope and detail.
Regarding its scope, in addition to the topics you would expect to find in such a book, it also covers such diverse subjects as the history and operation of the Supreme Court and the Appellate Division, and ethical issues in appeals. Regarding its detail, when addressing mootness, for example, Mandel explains the issues in depth, and then summarizes numerous specific cases--organized by subject matter--applying the general rule and the exceptions to the general rule. I found the discussions on the interest of justice standard for interlocutory appeals and the grounds for certification to be particularly informative.
Mandel has the knowledge and experience to give the reader confidence in the reliability of the book. Practicing civil litigation, criminal defense and appeals with the law firm of Day Pitney, he was one of the editors of the seventh edition of the New Jersey Appellate Practice Handbook, published by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education. He served a judicial clerkship with a judge in the Appellate Division, and has taught appellate advocacy at both Seton Hall Law School and Rutgers Law School. New Jersey Appellate Practice is an outstanding addition to Gann's collection of authoritative texts. The book should be a very appealing purchase for attorneys involved in civil litigation, criminal defense, and appellate practice.
IMPORTANT: In addition to reading my Disclaimer (see below and the related link), you should understand that the book does not make me a better appellate lawyer than others. The words expressed in the book review are those of the author of the article. You should therefore not consider it if you are on this website trying to determine which lawyer is the right one for you. Whether a client or not, please note that the fact that I may be a recipient of a particular award and/or achievement is not a representation that I have any ability greater than any other attorney and it certainly should not be construed to mean that I can achieve a particular result. Similarly, the fact that I wrote a book on a particular subject, was placed on the Super Lawyer list, a Top 40 Lawyer Under the Age of 40, appear on TV, was named a Lawyer of the Year, and/or prevailed on a certain appeal/case does not mean that I have any greater knowledge than any other attorney and/or any greater ability to succeed on a particular appeal/case in the future than any other attorney. None of these awards or distinctions were given by a court nor were they endorsed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, or any court and/or judge for that matter. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. For more information on the standard for giving this award, please visit the Superlawyers website.
New Jersey Lawyer, the Magazine (Dec 2007)
Gianfranco A. Pietrafesa
The book contains 815 pages of text, a 115-page appendix, and a comprehensive index, bringing the volume's total page count to 976. It does not contain a table of court rules cited in the book; however, this small blemish can be remedied by searching the text online at Gann's website.
READ MY FULL DISCLAIMER.
