Formbook sets are multi-volume sets of books that do not focus on a single subject, but discuss many different aspects of Texas law.
Texas is fortunate to have an assortment of excellent formbooks. The titles listed below are among the most used:
- Stevenson’s Texas Legal Practice Forms, 4 vols. KFT1268.S84 1992.
- Commonly used forms in private practice for the general practitioner. This set is aimed at practicing attorneys and contains a wide variety of forms on many common legal topics. Guidance on filling out the forms is also provided. Each chapter provides background, checklists, forms and commentary
Chapter 7 is on contracts. [Westlaw]
- Texas Practice Series and Texas Practice Guide, KFT1280 .T493
- Both of these sets contain a general overview of Texas law on a variety of civil and criminal topics. While they are not solely formbooks, many of the volumes contain forms relating to the subjects discussed. (See next bullet point.) [Westlaw]
- Texas Practice Guide: Business Transactions, 4 vols. KFT1280.T493 B885 2001.
- Covers all aspects of business and contract law, including many types of contracts, surety law, performance bonds, leases, assignments, import/export, copyright, trademarks, deceptive practices and franchises, etc. It includes citations to cases, statutes, and rules as well as forms and checklists that may be used as a guideline for procedures and drafting documents. [Westlaw]
- West’s Texas Forms, 3d ed. 33 vols. KFT1268.W48 1977.
- Format and depth exactly mirrors that in West’s Legal Forms. This is one of two main Texas formbook sets owned by the library. It covers most aspects of Texas civil law and is a good place to start if you do not want to use one of the subject-specific treatises. Use the General Index, located at the end of the set, to look up terms in the main volumes. It is kept up to date by pocket parts in the back of each volume. [Westlaw]
- Texas Forms: Legal and Business, 24 vols. KFT1268.T48 1969.
- Practice-oriented forms geared toward the substantive law, integrating legal and form-drafting principles including tax aspects, with cases, statutes, regulations, and checklists. Volumes 6, 6A, 7, 7A are on contracts. This is the library’s second Texas formbook set. Like West’s Texas Forms, it covers many different areas of Texas civil law and can be a good starting point for research. It also has a General Index at the end of the set. It is kept up to date by pocket parts in the back of each volume. [Westlaw]
- Texas Transaction Guide, Legal Forms, 25 vols. KFT1268.K45 1972.
- Commonly referred to as Kendrick’s, it contains step-by-step guidance, practice notes, research guides, legal backgrounds, practice guides and commentary. This guide contains forms relating to civil transactions and other non-litigation related legal matters, including but not limited to topics like real estate, wills and probate, and commercial and business transactions. [Lexis]
