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Show News Opinion Letters Thanks from the Fair Continued from Page 4 Dear Editor: The Northern Arizona Fair Committee would like to express especially want to thank their appreciation to the the Fredonia Sinclair, for in for supporting the my last letter I unintention- Grand Canyon Car Show: ally left their name off the Wigwam & Curio, sponsor list on the entry Dennys Homestead Tribal Arts, Reeses forms. A special thanks to Jon I follow-ingbusiness- es Subway, Kanab LaunMartin, Brian and Kathy Texaco, and CarWash, Fredonia Post Avery-your- e special people, dry Goldenstone Gallery, Office, and last, but not least, thanks Service Station, IGA, Sinclair to Dan Watson for designing our entry forms and gift tificates. Judd Auto Service, Canyon cer- Photo, The Junction Drive In, Post Trading Company, Lillian Lukus Cedar Pharmacy. Your supFredonia Chamber of and Zion is vital to having a successport Commerce ful and fun car show, and we Thank you! Loretta Johnson Northern Arizona Fair Committee Guest Editorial I The growing outcry for legal reform By Mark Faux In recent years, it has been all downhill for lawyers reputations. Opinion polls indicate that public confidence in lawyers is low. And, the deat an e fenders of the status quo are increasingly forced to fend off criticism from within the legal professions own ranks. n Sol Linowitz, a all-tim- well-knovy- retired lawyer, has just published abooklamentingthat the legal profession has become nothing more than a business, full of greed. Tales of lawyer misdeeds, crimes, and being rapacious are becoming commonplace. Surveys show that over 50 of people both poor and middle-incomcannot afford a lawyer for even their simple needs. The courts are clogged, justice is uneven and unpredictable, and legal costs adds thousands of dollars to family budgets through high insurance, inflated health care costs, and products where half the cost is attributed to liability risks. In this context, the lawyers have been forced to abandon over-chargin- g, e, THE PUBLIC BE DAMNED attitude and their long-standin- g have developed new, more so- phisticated strategies. Their goal: to defuse public outcry while maintaining essentially unchanged the legal system that works so well for them and so poorly for the rest of us. Last year the American Bar Association decided to come to grips with the endless criticisms about the bar. Did they propose fixing things? NO!! Instead they hired a public relations expert to try to change their image. Their new tactic is to launch a giant public relations blitz, which will begin next month. Were at a turning point for legal reform. If we let the legal establishment wTite the script for the upcoming ABA hearings and report, theyll achieve their goal, acting responsive without really changing anything. And, a real opportunity for reform will be lost. Many reforms require state legislation, such as increasing the ceilingon Small Claims Court cases of lawyer Legislators require data. The bar leaders should be witnesses in legislative hearings, forced to account for the problems, and answer hard questions about why these problems cannot be fixed. It is here that we can take the bar association to court. It is, we will argue, the bar monopoly which creates many of our problems. It is, wTe will argue, a denial of due process that millions of people cannot get into the legal system. Or why people like myself have been the victims of legal malpractice. We want hard answers. Let them sit in the witness stand for a change and explain why Americans should continue to be victimized by a legal system that is needlessly complex, frustratingly inaccessible, and hopelessly expensive. We want answers as to their endless persecution of nonlawyers who help people in court. We want answers as to the client security fund that is supposed to protect people who have been ripped off by the system. Therefore, good people of Utah, when we fail to speak out about the issues or to get involved, our most basic constitutional rights hang by a thread. It doesnt matter whether this is through apathy, ignorance or fear, the result is the same. Let us all contact our legislator and demand legal reform. self-regulatio- n. 5 Bankruptcy Committee not have been possible. SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 1994 law change On October 27, 1993, the Congress enacted legislation requiring the Judicial Conference of the United States to study the effect of waiving the filing fee in Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases for debtors who are unable to pay the fee in installments. The District of Utah was selected as one of the six federal judicial districts to participate in the study. The program will commence October 1, 1994 and run for a period of three years. During this time, individuals who are unable to pay the Chapter 7 filing fee either in full when filing the petition, or in installments may apply to the court for waiver of the fee. The court will review the application using a general indigency standard similar to that used by the district courts in determining in forma pauperis eligibility. If the court approves the application, the debtor will be allowed to proceed without paying the fee. If the court denies the application, the debtor must pay the fee in full or in installments. Soon after the completion of the three-yea- r program, a report will be submitted to the Congress describing the costs and benefits of the program. This information will allow' the Congress to consider whether the program should be implemented nationwide. Additional information about the fee waiver program is available from: William Stillgebauer, Clerk of court, 350 South Main Street, Room 301, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101. Free business tax workshop A free tax workshop for small business owners will be held on Tuesday, September 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Hunter Conference Center at Southern Utah University in Cedar City. session, an During the y will cover emIRS instructor The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime, does not mean he is guilty. The defendant is presumed innocent, until and unless proven guilty. Names will be withheld in some cases due to the sensitive nature of the crimes, or if the defendant is a juvenile. During the period of August through August 30, 1994, the Kanab City Police Department handled 56 incidents, 21 cases, issued 21 warnings and 10 citations. The Animal Control officer investigated 4 cases, picked up 2 animals, issued 1 citation and 2 warnings, and released adopted out 1 animal. vestigation. Found property in Kanab City. A bicycle was found and put into evidence. Search made for owner. Arrest warrant in Kanab City. Arrest warrant served for failure to appear. Shawn Pulliam, 19, of Kanab, was booked into the Kane County Jail. August 27 18 Zion Park. Camera Theft at August Theft at a Kanab residence. stolen while victim was momenReport of stolen hoist and motor tarily gone. Under investigation. from trailer. Under investigation. Vehicle impound. Tony 19 30, of New Mexico had Mandan, August Juvenile referral. Incident took his car impounded after license place at a Kanab business. The plate check was found invalid. victim wras hurt and harrassed Driver was cited and released. by a juvenile. Juvenile referred. Vehicle was impounded. August 20 August 28 Theft at a local business. BusiArrest warrant. Clayton ness owner reported theft of prod- Church, 21, Kanab, was served uct from local business. Search for an arrest warrant for failure warrant revealed several prod- to appear in court and a felony. ucts at residence of alleged sus- Booked into Kane County jail. DUI, possession of marijuana, pect, all taken into evidence. Case turned over to County Attorney. no valid drivers license. Robert Child sex abuse. Report ofchild Hatch, 38, Fredonia, Arizona sex abuse. Under investigation. was stopped for testing after his vehicle crossed the center line. August 24 Criminal mischief at a Kanab He was booked into Kane County residence. Trailer knocked off Jail for alleged DUI, possession block. Pictures taken, minor of marijuana, and no valid drivers license. damage. Under investigation. Criminal mischief at a local Juvenile runaway. Under inbusiness. Report of damage to vestigation. NCIC report. door of local business. Under August 29 investigation. Joy riding. Postal vehicle found with damage after weekend and August 25 Criminal mischief at a Kanab two miles added to odometer. business. Juveniles recklessly Paint transfer on vehicle, under destroyed property. Juveniles in- investigation. terviewed. Under investigation. August 30 18 August 2 Traffic accident in Kanab. Shannon Rogers, 21, Fredonia, Arizona, was exiting business lot and struck bicycle causing damage to bike. No injuries. Theft at Kanab business. Items and gasoline stolen. Under in Arrest warrant. Desiree Stewart, Kanab, was arrested under warrant served for allegedly issuinga bad check. Booked into Kane County Jail. Theft at a Kanab residence. Report of license plate stolen. Entered N.C.I.C. all-da- ployer tax responsibilities, proper record keeping, and filing requirements. Participants will also learn how to determine employee or independent contractor status, how to calculate payroll tax, and how to fill out employment tax forms. The seminar will also feature ' AfaOawi t.''.VT QlliBtJ rmMrnwt Kuriterly presentations from representatives of various state agencies, regarding Utah unemployment, workers compensation, and labor laws. The seminar is being conducted on a reservation only basis. Call the Small Business Development Center in Cedar or the IRS City at (80 1)586-546- 2 5 if in Salt Lake City at you wish to attend. 524-609- 418814 25 off with this coupon! !j |