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Software and Games : GSP : Business & Office : Legal

• Will Maker

  Avanquest Software

  
  
   

• Create & Print Your Own Divorce Papers

  Avanquest Software

  
  Create and Print Your Own Divorce Papers allows you to prepare all the papers necessary for either an undefended divorce petition or what's called a Judicial Separation which ends the legal obligation of a couple to live together, but leaves them still married. This is an important distinction because some people are unable or unwilling to divorce because of religious reasons.

  It's based on a technology called Rapidocs which is a way of creating "intelligent documents" that are personalised with information supplied by you in answer to a series of detailed questions--as you fill in the answers, the document is created directly on the screen. It's a relatively long and complex process, but you can save the document and go back to it later, skip sections and return to them and there are useful notes throughout that explain the legal terms and offer more general guidance. On the rare occasions you have to put things in your own words, the program will provide some example text to help you out. When you've finished, not only do you end up with the affidavit and request for directions for trial but also the appropriate covering letters.

  The end result is a legally binding undefended divorce petition which can be formatted using word processing-style commands (bold, italic, centred text and so on) printed out and submitted to the court when the time comes. Remember that creating divorce papers like this may be only a small part of the actual proceedings, and so useful as the product is, it's no substitute for up to date, relevant legal advice. --Rob Beattie

  
   

• Business Contracts & Letters

  Avanquest Software

  
  Business Contracts and Letters speaks the language of business correspondence with accuracy and authority, allowing even small businesses to sound like big ones that don't like being messed about. Using the program you can prepare a range of business documents for chasing invoices, producing confidentiality agreements, setting out terms and conditions, cancelling orders and so on, quickly and easily.

  Each document is produced in the same way. You're asked a series of questions relating to the specifics of the subject or task and as you fill in the answers, the letter or contract slowly takes shape on the screen. You can save what you're doing at any time, or skip steps and return to them later if you're not sure how to answer. When you're finished, you can use the editing tools to alter the look of the document, changing text to bold or italic, introducing page breaks and so on. For those documents where a proper form is required, Business Contracts and Letters automatically drops the information into a pre-designed Adobe Acrobat PDF form which you can just print out.

  This is an easy product to use, covers a reasonable range of business situations and although no substitute for proper legal advice in certain circumstances, can be used with confidence for common day-to-day jobs. As with any product that makes reference to the law, you need to be careful-make sure you register the program to receive updates and other important information and read the notes that accompany each document carefully. If in any doubt, talk to a solicitor. --Rob Beattie

  
   

• Your Step-By-Step Will Maker

  Avanquest Software

  
  Will-Maker is designed to help you put together a legally enforceable will. This is important because if you die without having made one, you're said to be "intestate" and anything you leave behind (your "estate") gets divvied up according to strict guidelines that can cost your beneficiaries a lot of money--particularly in tax.

  Will-Maker uses Rapidocs technology, a way of creating personalised documents based on the way you answer a specific set of questions. It's a clear and easy to use program--the actual document appears on the left of the screen, the questions on the right. As you tab between questions, context-sensitive hint panels pop-up and if you need more advice, there's a Notes tab that you can click to get more detail.

  Be prepared to answer questions you may not feel ready to consider quite yet ("Do you wish to donate your body to medical research?") and consult the notes carefully before filling in each part of the form. Make sure you read the disclaimers thoroughly as well. The authors make it clear what their obligations and liabilities are on numerous occasions. For example:

  We will not have any liability to you at all if you use any document without obtaining appropriate legal advice as to its suitability for your particular requirements or where there has been any change in the law following the date of publication.

  Such considerations make it important that you register the product too, so you can receive news of any important updates.

  You can appoint an unlimited number of beneficiaries (should you be so flush) appoint executors and trustees, make charitable donations, bestow legacies and make financial and guardianship provisions for the kids. The final document appears in a cut-down word processor so you can edit it before printing out. The result looks as it should--just like a real will. --Rob Beattie

  
   

• Instant Will Maker

  Avanquest Software

  
  
   

• Personal Letters & Contracts

  Avanquest Software

  
  Everyone likes to complain about poor service or lack of workmanship, but there's an art to making effective written complaints that the authors behind Personal Letters & Contracts have mastered.

  This program produces a series of so-called intelligent documents--standard letters--that can be personalised to your specific requirements based on the way you answer a set of questions. As you go through the questions in the right hand column (consulting the advisory notes along the way) the personalised letter builds before your eyes in the left hand column. When you've finished, you can review the letter full screen and make any final edits manually before printing off a copy and posting it. As well as complaints, the program also handles personal contracts (for example house-sharing and pre-nuptial agreements) requests for mediation in a dispute from watchdogs such as OFTEL and OFWAT, along with change of address, termination of contract and refusal of compensation letters.

  As you'd expect, the content is good. The letter complaining about a hotel room not only offers plenty of scope for outlining the problem, but also quotes the 1982 Supply of Goods and Services Act in support of the complaint, while the refusal of compensation letter is so forceful that recipients will almost feel compelled to cough up. Make sure you register though to receive updates and information about changes to the law, and read the accompanying notes very carefully.

  Of course, you can make up your own letters for most occasions, but the complaints here have the right tone, and the contracts use the right jargon and refer to the appropriate legislation. For the price, this is well worth a look. --Rob Beattie

  
   

• Instant Will Maker

  Avanquest Software