#I'm back
8 messages in this thread
Well, we have more lawyers per capita in the U.S. than any other country
and they want business. While there are some really nasty features in the
British civil system, they do have one thing I wish we had here–you can get
creamed in British courts for bringing substantially the same complaints time
after time and losing (i.e. nuisance suits). Not here. Everybody's got the
right to sue, everybody does at the drop of a lawyer, and huge numbers of
lawyers actually advertise on television with "There's no fee unless we win"
guarantees on certain common suits. And we wonder why insurance rates are so
high here.
However, in the case of being denied service without legal cause you come
under the Civil Rights Act; that means the state and federal government will
actually sue on your behalf!
Jack,
Even with that, the backlog of cases in the British courts is still pretty
severe. Not only that, you're faced with two sets of fees, one for the
solicitor (ie the guy you go to see in his office) and the barrister (ie the
Perry Mason type who conducts your case in Court)
Most people are probably like me ie mental note never to visit that place again
and spread the word amongst your friends and business contacts. The whole legal
process just takes so long, it's really not worth the hassle.
Adrian
Well, I happen to like the barrister/solicitor system, particularly since
90% of all legal matters don't really take a court appearance at all and the
last person I'd like defending me for murder would be my tax attorney!
Legal costs are horrendous almost everywhere, and backups, particularly in
civil courts, are notorious all over. We have more than enough lawyers; we need
more judges.
Jack,
I think if we had less laws, that would help<g>. Obviously you still need what
was the Common Law (theft, murder etc), but can _anyone_ honestly say they've
_never_ broken a law? There are just so many ways of falling foul of the
statutes even unintentionally and _without_ malice.
Adrian
Most laws, like most taxes, aren't designed to do what they claim but
rather something else. Just as taxes are used to control behavior more than
raise revenue (or at least as much), most laws like the speed laws and much of
the civil code are used to raise revenue–not just for the governments involved
but also for attorneys and a whole support system for them. Remember that the
vast majority of legislators in most democratic states are lawyers before they
run and will be lawyers after they are voted out.
Jack,
Well-known English (UK) expression: "The law is an ass( = donkey, mule)". I
think that expression actually originated from a judge!
Adrian
Actually, that quotation is universal at least amongst English-speaking
peoples, nor is the sentiment exactly new. It was Shakespeare, after all, who
had Hamlet say, "First, let's kill all the lawyers."
Jack,
From time to time I see a rash of lawyer jokes in various forums here on CI$.
Adrian