Carolina Advocates for Legal Reform

Legal Reform Questionnaire

The Carolina Advocates for Legal Reform (CALR) is seeking concerned citizens and political candidates we can support who share our viewpoint. To help us to better understand your position on legal reform issues and how me might be of service to you, please complete and return this questionnaire to:

Carolina Advocates for Legal Reform . 2825 Bancroft Street . Charlotte, NC 28206

Name: __________________________________________ Telephone: (____)______________

Street: __________________________________ City/State/Zip: _________________________

Instructions: Check each statement that you agree with:

_____1 . The self-regulation of lawyers should be abolished.
_____2. Lawyers should not be allowed to serve in the legislative and judicial branches of government at the same time to prevent a conflict of interest.
_____3. Disciplinary hearings involving lawyers and judges should be open to the public.

_____4. Consumer protection laws should be established to prevent lawyers from abusing their power and self interest.
_____5. Grievances against lawyers and judges should be reviewed by a non-Bar member panel and not by other lawyers and judges.
_____6. Lawyers should be required to provide clients with written contracts that include full disclosure of fees and how they are charged, an estimate of costs and the time required to handle a case, and descriptions of other potential risks in pursuing the case.
_____7. Lawyers and judges should be held responsible for their behavior to litigants, and they should be made personally accountable and subject to damages when they abuse the guidelines of the law.
_____ 8. Legal representation should be provided to litigants who, for whatever reason, choose to litigate their own cases (for example, pro se).
_____9. Any laws that forbid non-lawyers from providing routine legal services should be abolished.
____10. Judges should be prohibited from providing other independent legal services that might constitute a conflict of interest.
____11. Lawyers should be prohibited from having their cases heard before a judge to whom they have made a political contribution or with whom a relationship exists that could create a conflict of interest.
____12. Family laws and bankruptcy laws should be reformed to ensure that those in need of these services can access them without a lawyer.
____13. Divorce laws should be reformed to protect families from lawyers seeking windfall profits at the expense of a broken marriage and family.
____14. A legal client's Bill of Rights should be created and enforced.
____15. Electronic recording devices should be used in court rooms to ensure that court transcripts are not tampered with.
____16. Unethical practices, such as legal malpractice, negligent representation, lawyer and judge problems, misrepresentation, excessive fees, discrimination, and collusion should be documented for public inspection.
____17. Citizens should be allowed to initiate a bill requiring the Legislature to act on it.
____18. Legal clients should have the right to record or videotape their own court proceeding.
____19. Lawyers and insurance companies should be required to give clients an itemized statement of settlement disbursements.

How can CALR assist you?

(Brief explanation)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank You!

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_____1 .	The self-regulation of lawyers should be abolished.
_____2.	Lawyers should not be allowed to serve in the legislative and judicial branches of government at the same time to prevent a conflict of interest.
_____3.	Disciplinary hearings involving lawyers and judges should be open to the public.
_____4.	Consumer protection laws should be established to prevent lawyers from abusing their power and self interest.
_____5.	Grievances against lawyers and judges should be reviewed by a non-Bar member panel and not by other lawyers and judges.
_____6.	Lawyers should be required to provide clients with written contracts that include full disclosure of fees and how they are charged, an estimate of costs and the time required to handle a case, and descriptions of other potential risks in pursuing the case.
_____7.	Lawyers and judges should be held responsible for their behavior to litigants, and they should be made personally accountable and subject to damages when they abuse the guidelines of the law.
_____ 8.	Legal representation should be provided to litigants who, for whatever reason, choose to litigate their own cases (for example, pro se).
_____9.	Any laws that forbid non-lawyers from providing routine legal services should be abolished.
____10.	Judges should be prohibited from providing other independent legal services that might constitute a conflict of interest.
____11.	Lawyers should be prohibited from having their cases heard before a judge to whom they have made a political contribution or with whom a relationship exists that could create a conflict of interest.
____12.	Family laws and bankruptcy laws should be reformed to ensure that those in need of these services can access them without a lawyer.
____13.	Divorce laws should be reformed to protect families from lawyers seeking windfall profits at the expense of a broken marriage and family.
____14.	A legal client's Bill of Rights should be created and enforced.
____15.	Electronic recording devices should be used in court rooms to ensure that court transcripts are not tampered with.
____16.	Unethical practices, such as legal malpractice, negligent representation, lawyer and judge problems, misrepresentation, excessive fees, discrimination, and collusion should be documented for public inspection.
____17.	Citizens should be allowed to initiate a bill requiring the Legislature to act on it.
____18.	Legal clients should have the right to record or videotape their own court proceeding.
____19.	Lawyers and insurance companies should be required to give clients an itemized statement of settlement disbursements.