James locked himself into the bathroom the day of Morris' wedding. After the festivities had ended wife Carol discovered a shattered pocket door in the back bedroom. Later, James called and said that he had kicked the door down to get out because he had been locked in and the ceremonies were about to begin. In his nervous, anxious condition he didn't realize that lifting the door slightly (an eighth of an inch or so) would have released the pocket door latch and he would have been instantly freed. Isn't it amazing what happens when our adrenaline begins to pump?

Anyway, if you can you should try to patch the jamb (door frame). First, remove the trim piece from the door frame that travels vertically down its center. Use a razor knife to put a slit in the paint between the trim and the frame so that it can be removed without damage. One or both casings (trim molding between the door frame and the wall) also should be removed depending on whether either would restrict the repair. With the trim removed you can easily re-glue the damaged section or cut it out and patch it. A jigsaw is best for cutting out a damaged piece. Use lots of glue and plenty of screws or nails to connect the new piece. Remember, with the stop and the casing removed you are simply dealing with a long, narrow, flat piece of wood that is held to the framed door opening with nails and shim-shingles. No brain surgery here. For long splits simply glue and clamp the separated pieces. Once the patch (or clamped job) is completed a little Bondo is all it will take to hide even the worst of connections.