3/8/06 Note: for some e-mail, the entire message is too long, and must be sent in two parts--instructions (Part 1) and the form itself (Part 2). The form is now almost too long to fit in AOL mail due to the additional public contacts recently added--something compensated for by breaking the message into the two parts shown: ERAL Case Intake Form and Rules I am sending you the ERAL case intake form in Part 2 of this Message. It is to be filled out by the person with the problem. Initial contact with potential clients can be informal, but the form is to be used by the person with the problem to clarify the situation and provide information to our members (along with the person with the problem's attorney), so they could help in a focused way. Note the protocols for identifying people requesting help. Please provide the following instructions: ---send the rest of this message to the person with the problem-- I am sending you an Earth Religions Assistance List (ERAL) case intake form. To get the best response from ERAL, get an attorney and fill out and e-mail the form back to the nearest ERAL public contact, along with a brief summary of your situation (preferably less than two pages long), citing the case intake form and other documents for additional details. Also send hardcopy of the signed waivers. It is to be filled out by the person with the problem. If you are unsure how to check an item, or respond, select the whole form in your e-mail manager as a message you are replying to, then reply as you would with any e-mail. To fill out checklist portions of the form, do it like this: _X_ I understand and agree to ... In general, the essay portions of form should be dealt with like a reply to e-mail, in which either: 1. The form is replied to in your e-mail "reply to message" software, or 2. Copied copied into a blank word processing template, and replied to by writing in your response to the questions. Either way will allow you to include in the form as much text as you may need to explain the circumstances of your situation. If you fill out the form on a word processor, you can then convert and e-mail the filled out form as an attached MS Word or ASCII file attached to an e-mail message, or simply copy the text into the body of a single e-mail message (if your e-mail software allows a message as long as your filled out form to be entered into the body of an e-mail message). The filled out form can also be broken down into several pieces and sent in several pieces of e-mail (with Subject headers like ERAL Intake form (Part 1 of 3 or Part 2 of 3, or Part 3 of 3 assuming it is sent in three pieces). If you did not receive the form in e-mail, or you don't have e- mail, you should request a disk containing an ASCII version of the form, for you to reply to using a PC with word processing software, according to the above instructions, except that a disk containing the filled out form should be sent to your ERAL contact. Please specify if you are using an MSDOS compatible operating system or a MAC, when requesting a disk; and find out if your contact has a MAC or an MSDOS compatible operating system, so that appropriate arrangements can be made to post the filled out form by one of our contacts with a suitable personal computer. Either way of filling out and submitting the form electronically will leave you with all the space needed for a reasonably complete explanation of your situation and why it constitutes religious discrimination. You can also send your ERAL contact scanned or word processed versions of the complaint against you and of pertinent evidence, statements by witnesses, etc., to be forwarded on to ERAL. ERAL is an e-mail list operating on the Internet.. The more complete you make your electronic submission, the more complete the potential response may be from ERAL members, most of whom will only see what has been electronically provided directly concerning your case. Some portions of the form require hardcopy being sent to your contact on ERAL,: particularly signatures. Be sure and save your reply and make some copies for your attorney and others you ask for assistance. ========== Send the rest in a separate message, deleting from the title unless the first part of your message is part 1 of 2 with the same title: ========Part 2 of this message, the actual form, to follow===== ERAL Case Intake Form and Rules EARTH RELIGION LEGAL PROBLEM INTAKE GUIDE AND QUESTIONNAIRE HELP WE MAY PROVIDE We help those who are being discriminated against on the basis of their Pagan/Mystic/Earth-based spiritual beliefs or practices, particularly where there are no other complicating non-religious issues. We might be able to help by providing you and your attorney information or by referring you to organizations who would be better able to help you. We might also be able to help by finding a volunteer to serve as a coordinator connecting you with individuals, expert witnesses and information We generally do not provide money towards your legal expenses, however we may refer you to people and organizations that can help you with free or sliding scale services or who may let it be known if you need money for such expenses. Do not count on any or all of the above types of help. We are unpaid volunteers with limited resources, and what help we can provide is dependent on whether or not you give us the information that we need to assess your situation and whether or not we find one or more volunteers to assist in your situation. You are also expected to do what you can to help yourself. We may post your information and requests to the Earth Religions Assistance Lists (ERAL) and other locations where it would be seen by religious rights activists, including members of the Lady Liberty League, Unitarian Earth Religionist activists, human rights attorneys, etc.. Individuals, organizations, and electronic media contacted may forward the information and requests on elsewhere on the Internet, and individuals or organizations may contact you through us or directly. Please specify what information concerning your identity you would want to have us share. It is our usual practice to post full identifying information on the ERAL and to forward it to persons who we consider to be reliable, and to use initials, or a first name, or an alias (or nickname or Craftname), and a P.O. Box or other secure way to contact you in more publicly available media, such as e-mail lists or publications. However, you post your identification at your own risk. Religious Bigots exist who can cause problems. We assume no responsibility for any leaks of sensitive information to inappropriate locations or the consequences. If you agree to this, enter your signature and the date here ___________________________________ Date __________________ Please also provide a parental signature if you are a minor Please do not use identifying information about anyone (including addresses/phone numbers/fax numbers) without explicit permission of the individual. Please do not make defamatory statements (false statements which might damage someone's reputation), and stick to the facts. Please let us know if you receive any useful or not so useful information or if any problems arise with any individual or organization. While we need to receive the form filled out in electronic format (either as e-mail or as an ASCII file or Word 6.0 or WordPerfect 5.1 or earlier, for MSDOS), please also send a hardcopy printout, with your signature where indicated, and each page initialed and dated. ========INFORMATION FOR YOU TO FILL OUT================= Please provide your: Name: Address: City, State and Zip Code: Phone number: Birth Date: please provide parental consent if a minor) FAX: e-mail address: Do you accept phone calls: Information for public release: Alias or Initials: P.O. Box or mail drop: (If you don't have one, you might consider getting one temporarily--they cost $5-$25 per month.) Phone number, e-mail address or other information for public release: Please provide your Attorney's: Name: Address: City, State and Zip Code: Phone number: FAX: e-mail address: Information for potential public release: Alias or Initials: P.O. Box or mail drop: Phone number, e-mail address or other information for public release: CONFIDENTIALITY LEVEL FOR INFORMATION ON THIS FORM For you: __ Do you understand that all information you provide on this form is at your own risk? __ OK to post full identifying information on the ERAL list and to forward it to persons who we consider to be reliable, at your own risk __ OK to use initials, or a first name, or an alias (or nickname or Craftname), and a P.O. Box or other secure way to specified above to contact you and your attorney in more publicly available media, such as e-mail lists, websites, or publications, at your own risk. __ Only use initials, or a first name, or an alias (or nickname or Craftname), and a P.O. Box or other secure way to contact you specified above for all communications __ OK to post full identifying information anywhere Other Instructions concerning Confidentiality: Do you have your attorney' approval for the information on this form:____ Has your attorney reviewed and approved this form?___ If not, Please explain why not: For your Attorney: __ Do you understand that all information you provide on this form is at your own risk? __ OK to post full identifying information on the ERAL and to forward it to persons who we consider to be reliable, at your own risk __ OK to use initials, or a first name, or an alias (or nickname or Craftname), and a P.O. Box or other secure way to specified above to contact you and your attorney in more publicly available media, such as e-mail lists, websites or publications, at your own risk. __ Only use initials, or a first name, or an alias (or nickname or Craftname), and a P.O. Box or other secure way to contact you specified above for all communications __ OK to post full identifying information anywhere Other Instructions concerning Confidentiality: HELP YOU ARE REQUESTING __ (1) Locating an attorney __ (2) Would you and your attorney--like us or others to contact your attorney? __ (3) Would you like your attorney to consult with other attorneys who are knowledgeable about freedom of religion and the law and if you do, does your attorney want to consult with others? __ (4) Information on freedom of religion law (with the clear understanding that the information provided will not be tailored for your particular case and will not constitute legal advice)? __ (5) Evidentiary materials to help prove that your Pagan/ Mystic/Earth-based tradition is a religion protected under the constitution? __ (6) Evidentiary materials to help prove that your Pagan/ Mystic/Earth-based tradition is ethical and good for society and families __ (7) Third Party Mediation __ (8) Pagan Friendly Third Party Mediation __ (9) Pagan Clergy Contact __ (9) Somebody to consult with while I figure out what to do next __ (10) Help finding out what my options are __ (11)Wider publicity to expose these (explicative deleted) for what they are and generate more public support for my cause. __ (12) Other (please specify): RELIGIOUS RIGHTS PROBLEM For us to help you, we need the following information from you about your case: * What happened to you that you believe constitutes discrimination on the basis of your religion? * In what context did this occur? (education, employment, criminal proceedings, divorce/custody proceedings, use of public facilities, military rules, prison rules? If other context, please specify.) * When did this occur? (date) * Where did this occur? (state) * What parties are involved? (first names and titles of individuals involved, and relationship to you) * What institutions are involved, if any? (public or private school? public or private employer? sheriff's office or police department? local, state, or federal court? administrative agency? military service? prison?) * Are you currently in court or administrative proceedings? If so, do you have any pending court dates, the case number, in what court it is, before what judge or investigator? * What is the purpose of the hearing? * Why did this occur? (Did any actions of yours contribute to the situation? What objective evidence do you have about the motives of other parties?) * Are there any other allegations at issue not related to freedom of religion that might complicate your case? This includes not only the your allegations, but also any allegations by the other party. * How is the government involved? (Do you believe the government discriminated by making an administrative decision? by making a judicial decision? by enacting a law? by enforcing a law? If other, please specify.) * Were you punished, threatened, or harmed for holding a religious belief? If so, what religious belief, and how were you punished, threatened, or harmed? * Were you punished, threatened, or harmed for performing a religious practice? Were you prevented from performing a religious practice? If so, describe the religious practice. Is this practice necessary to your religious tradition? Please explain why. Does this religious practice encroach in any way on the rights or interests of others? If so, what have you done to accommodate the rights or interests of others? BACKGROUND ON CUSTODY CASES Is the child adopted and if so, have they gone to the final adoption hearing? Is it the birth mother or the adoptive mother that the child was taken from? Was this a private adoption or was it done through State or other agencies? What is the final adoption court date, has it occurred or is it still pending? INFORMATION ON YOUR RELIGIOUS TRADITION (This is important for us to locate the right people and information to help, and important for you to be able to testify about in court, against hostile questioners, if needed) What religious tradition do you follow? What do you call your tradition? How long have you followed this tradition? Have you consistently identified yourself as a practitioner of this tradition to your family and friends? within the Pagan community? outside the Pagan community? If not, why not? Briefly describe your general beliefs concerning Deity, its relationship to the mundane world, life and death, and ethics. Do you adhere to the "respect all/harm none" philosophy? Briefly describe the practices followed in your tradition. Identify which books reflect your religious tradition. Describe any local, regional, and national affiliations. Identify leaders recognized in this tradition, if any (in so far as able, given the confidentiality requirements) OTHER HELP YOU HAVE SOUGHT * What action have you taken concerning the alleged religious discrimination? (Have you filed an EEO complaint? filed a complaint with your union? filed a complaint with your state human rights commission? If other, please specify.) * Have you requested help from other civil rights organizations? (contacted the ACLU? Contacted any other religious rights organizations? Contacted any other Pagan rights organizations, such as Witches Against Religious Discrimination (WARD), Alternative Religions Educationial Network (AREN), or Lady Liberty League?) If so, describe who you have contacted and how they responded. Who else have you contacted to help? Would you--and your contact(s)--like us or others to contact them? If so, provide a first name and e-mail/P.O. Box address/phone or fax number (with permission of the contact only). If you have not contacted any of these organizations, do you know of any such organizations near you? AUTHENTICATING INFORMATION All information provided, including the media and/or paper that it arrives in/on, shall become the property of EARL and/or the volunteer(s) that is (are) handling the case. It will not be returned unless special arrangements are made, EARL is not and will not be responsible for returning any information. Do not send originals, or your only copy Please provide a statement by one or more witnesses to your problem (if any) and, with the permission of the witness, how we may contact him or her: Please send the following documents to the address we may provide you. We will attempt to keep this information confidential.. In general, we provide this information (or details on the contents only to our attorneys and, perhaps, the volunteers that they work with,. Of course, the person receiving your mail will have access to it. * If the case is a criminal case, a copy of the indictment or other official charging document (stating the criminal charges) and the police report. * If the case is a civil case, a copy of the civil petition or complaint initiating the lawsuit, and your response or answer. * Copies of available witness affidavits, depositions, or interrogatories, and/or hearing transcripts or tapes. * Copies of the legal bills for the lawyer's or court reporter's services, along with their addresses and phone numbers, for verification of the amounts and the purposes of the services rendered. (You will need to advise these parties that you consent to them discussing this information with one of our representatives.) ERAL PUBLIC CONTACTS 7/10/05 CALIFORNIA Amy Campbell 3613 State St. Apt 6 San Diego, CA 92103 619-293-3492 Sandy Brundage San Jose, CA 408.316.2224 tarthulhu@sbcglobal.net (verified 7/10/05) J. Micah Garabedian 12291 Lesley St. Garden Grove, CA 92840 Phone number: (714) 534-2733 E-mail: puppylove00@yahoo.com ERAL Region: Southern California Lisa Morgenstern aka Ariadne Morningstar PO Box 3065 Quartz Hill, CA 93586-0065 661-722-3887 dragonsweyrcircle@yahoo.com Or ariadne@dragonsweyrcircle.org AV Pagan Pride Day Coordinator http://paganpride.avpagans.org Dragon's Weyr Circle, National Member, Covenant of the Goddess http://dragonsweyrcircle.org First Pantheistic Center, Antelope Valley http://fpcav.org (verified 11/10/04) CANADA Pashta MaryMoon c/o 1831 Fern St. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8R 4K4 ERAL, PFPC, Pagan Pastoral Outreach ERAL Jana Ryckman, Children of Hekate, London, Ontario, Canada, N6H 4T1, e-mail: COHLT@hotmail.com, jryckman@hotmail.com Donna Des Jardins-Schnare (Reverend High Priestess Cailleach Des Jardins) P O Box 64 Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, Canada, B0S-1C0 Phone and FAX:902-665-2413 ldschnare@ns.sympatico.ca COLORADO Shannon Perrault shannon@gift-getter.com (for cases in Colorado only) CONNECTICUT Ainsley Friedberg C/O Avalon 9 No Main St. So Norwalk, CT 06854 Phone: 203-838-5928 Ainsleyf@aol.com http://www.1anet.com/cwpn FLORIDA Roger Paraselsu Coleman Church of Iron Oak, ATC Box 060672 Palm Bay, FL 32906-0672 Phone: (407) 722-0291 cio@ironoak.org ERAL Bill Kilborn PO Box 2881 Melbourne, FL 32902-2881 407-727-0816 bill@journey1mail.net http://journey1.org. AREN, ERAL, PEN verified 11/10/04 Wren Walker P.O.Box 4924 Clearwater, FL 33758-4924 813 723-0734 (press Star button for fax) Wren@witchvox.com TWV, ERAL Barbara Flanagan 615 Poinsettia Drive Venice, FL 34285 (941)485-1275 CaerSile@yahoo.com Verified 7/26/05 GEORGIA Natural Religion Anti Defamation Group Lady Rebecca Morgan SOUTHEASTERN PAGAN ALLIANCE P.O. Box 674884 Marietta, Georgia 30006-0006 1-770-516-8500 rebeccaW@tylwythteg.com http://www.tylwythteg.com/sepa.html KENTUCKY Sarah Glenn Rainbow Wind, Path of the Personal Divine, Inc. Lexington, KY phone: 859-273-2455 RainboWind@aol.com seglen0@pop.uky.edu (this is quicker during the week) P, H, E, Fo ERAL regional contact for Kentucky and surrounding states ILLINOIS Minde Fisher & Ryan Bayles Illinois merymeet@mwci.net ERAL Illinois Lissa Bevins 106 Greenwood Ave. Bloomington, IL 61704 Phone number: 309-829-4283 LdyGaladriel@hotmail.com FAX 309-828-5624 (weekdays only) ERAL, SR AREN INDIANA Chris Hunter Clarksville, IN. 47129 clhunt01@hotmail.com Cecylyna and Dagonet Dewr (Suzanne and Duke Egbert) ERAL, Pagan Pride P. O. Box 11166 Indianapolis, IN 46201 cecylyna@yahoo.com or brightriver@iquest.net http://www.geocities.com/cecylyna/ IOWA Jeva Singh-Anand 2712 Court Street Sioux City, IA 51104 712 574-4923 jsingh@cableone.net (confirmed 6/29/05) MAINE Deidre Jones-Caluri P O Box 10 Stetson, ME 04488 207-296-3481 or 207-296-3482 Fax: 207-296-3482 Starwolf05@aol.com MASSACHUSETTS Dennis Kirkpatrick Current Outreach: MA dmk@trinacrianrose.org http://members.aol.com/lorib1818/power.html POWER (Protective Order of Witches & Earth Religions), ERAL Jerrie Hildebrand jerrie@circlesanctuary.org Assistant Director, Lady Liberty League; M and Adm Team Our Freedom Coalition; M CUUPS; M UU; M ERAL; past coordinator, board member and/or officer of a variety of Pagan organizations. Location: NorthEastern MA (Verified 11/12/04) MICHIGAN Susie Troy, Mi. 48098 Phone number: (248) 641-7609 snowchylde@aol.com ERAL Takes cases in Michigan Rev. Ruby Mann Onilee Mann 224 W Wilkins St Jackson MI 49203 517 513 8684 onilee@onilee.com circle of Jackson-sotsm, Priestess, ERAL, AREN, Pagan UnityCampaign, State Chair MISSOURI Ms. Chris Carlisle The Alliance for Magical and Earth Religions (AMER) PO Box 16551, Clayton MO 63105 e-mail: CARLISLE@wuchem.wustl.edu ERAL MINNESOTA Jim Garrison P.O. Box 16134 St. Paul, MN 55116 Rev. Dr. Christa Heiden Landon 7331-Rosewood Ln., N. Maple Grove, MN 55369-5236 phone: 763-493-3634 fax: 763-493-3657 drchlandon@aol.com CUUPS, UU Minister Amy Halvorson CPO 3938, Concordia College Moorhead, MN 56562 218-299-4001 alhalvor@cord.edu NEW YORK Phyllis Curott 372 Central Park West, Suite 17K New York, NY 10025 (212) 663-5642 aradia@mindspring.com National Coordinator: Religious Liberties Lawyers Network NORTH CAROLINA Heather Demarest & Lisa Jeffers P.O. Box 60 Wanchese, NC 27981 252-473-5698 obxpatienc@aol.com http://pagan.drak.net/obxpatienc/ co-founders PATIENC OHIO Larry Cornett 2450 W. 6 St, Apt Up South Cleveland OH 44113 (216) 583-0007 lcornett@en.com http://members.aol.com/lcorncalen/CORNETT.HTM Moderator ERAL,President ERLAN and ERAA, Gaia Rising Board Member SEA rep., LLL specialist in Networking, and AREN member (Rev.) Angelle Keiffer 5599 North Chagrin Mentor on the Lake, Ohio 44060 (440) 257-5149 angelle@ncweb.com (978) 359-8500 Joshua V. Weiner 170 North Main Oberlin, OH 44074 (440) 774-2198 jweiner@physics.oberlin.edu ERAL OKLAHOMA foxspirit1@yahoo.com ERAL coordinates cases in Oklahoma PENNSYLVANIA Orren Whiddon Four Quarters Farm, RD1 62C, SilverMills Rd, Artemis PA 17211 Phone: 814-784-3075 megalith@4qf.org ERAL TEXAS Rev. Sheri Rhodes PO Box 166354 Irving Texas 75016 ravenwolf3555@yahoo.com ERAL, WARD, ACLU and P.F.F Jeannette K. Waldie 3819 Barracuda Lane La Porte, Texas 77571 Cell: 281-650-6934 jwaldie@ev1.net. ERAL verified 11/11/04 Rev. Sheri Rhodes POBox 166354 Irving Texas 75016 ravenwolf3555@yahoo.com ERAL Judy Kay Craft Houston, Texas judy.craft@broussard-sa.net ERAL CUUPS liaison SOUTH CAROLINA Rev. Dr. Mark Fearing FireBrander@Yahoo.com ERAL Specializes in Domestic Violence, Child Custody, and Elder Abuse Cases.***) FOI (Fellowship of Isis) GWA (Gay Wiccans of America) TEL (Temple of Everlasting Life) UNITED KINGDOM Martin Bennett North Lodge, Hanover Crescent Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 2SB United Kingdom (0)1273 697085 mbennett@metronet.co.uk ERAL Investigates and helps in the United Kingdom VERMONT Rev. Shannon L. Duke P O Box 142 Randolph Center, VT 05061 (802) 728 - 9828 sduke@quest-net.com C. Creek Kelsey, JD, MSL Executive Director, National Att'y Liaison, Public Interest Law Group, Ltd. (PILG) 1199 Brookfield Road Montpelier, VT 05602 cckelsey@sover.net AREN, SEA Rep, PILG, ERAL M John Thrasher, Esq. Chief Counsel, Public Interest Law Group, Ltd.(PILG) e_pendragon@yahoo.com SEA, ERAL VIRGINIA Fred Virginia Beach, Virginia Shamandncr@yahoo.com Elyse Paulick a/k/a Rhiannon DragonSinger PO Box 9713 Norfolk, VA 23505 (757) 339-9536 elyse@unforgettable.com HPs and Founder Coven at High Reaches - Rochester NY Tidewater Spiritual Congregation - Norfolk, VA Verified 11/10/04 WASHINGTON STATE Rev. James Assad, ULC 223 Yesler Way, #410 Seattle WA 98104 206.381.9218 teknomancer@msn.com (primary) jassad@coldnet.net (secondary) jassad@daft.com (tertiary-mostly spam bait now) Web: (will soon change to www.teknomancery.net) http://blake.prohosting.com/~jassad Former BoD Secretary 1997-1999, CAW 6th Circle Scion, CAW Member of the Fellowship of Isis, WA State Chapter Director of WARD Ordained Minister, ULC OUR LEGAL DISCLAIMER ERAL is not your lawyer. ERAL is not providing you with legal advice. What ERAL does provide is information from other cases that are similar to yours and generic information. Many of the people who make up ERAL are not attorneys nor do they claim to be attorneys. None of the attorneys working with ERAL will provide any specific legal information about your case to any non- attorneys. ERAL is not, nor will it ever be, responsible if you take the advice offered as legal advice and act thereon. ERAL does not claim to keep private any information submitted to it. Nor does ERAL claim to be able to protect any information transmitted (by any means) to any individuals or organizations for any purpose whatsoever. ERAL is not responsible for any actions taken by anyone who receives any transmitted information. COMPLAINANT'S LEGAL WAIVER By requesting help or submitting information, the complainant agrees to hold harmless ERAL and its representatives for all purposes. The complainant understands that there is no guarantee that legal, informational, or financial help will be procured by the networking service or from us. The complainant agrees that we are not responsible for actions of any individuals, organizations, or electronic media that we submit information to or request help from. The complainant asserts that he/she has no expectation of privacy for information submitted to us. The complainant asserts that no information submitted to us is false, defamatory, or identifies any individual by last name, street address, or without the individual's permission. The complainant understands that the legal or factual information provided to him/her is only meant to be educational and does not substitute for the services of an attorney. The complainant understands that nothing any of us communicates constitutes legal advice. And the complainant agrees that we are not responsible for the outcome of his/her legal case. I, ______, understand that by requesting help and/or submitting information to EARL that I agree that I will not hold EARL, its moderators, its members, its volunteers, and/or anyone connected with EARL liable, blameworthy, or in any way financially responsible for any information given to me and/or any reliance I placed on such information. Sign below and enter the date: _________________________________ Date_____________ Please also provide a parental signature if you are a minor GENERAL POLICIES We will not handle any case where the complainant deliberately lies, deceives us, or misrepresents the facts of his/her case, or his/her financial liabilities to us. We reserve the right to immediately cease all work on the case. Unless you can prove to us that the allegations listed below are false, we will not handle: * Any case where the complainant is accused of violent behavior. * Any case where the complainant is accused of criminal conduct that is not directly related to the issue of religious discrimination. * Any case where the complainant has been fired from his/her employment or expelled from school allegedly due to theft, dishonesty, violence, absenteeism, alcohol or drug abuse, or poor performance. * Any divorce/custody case where the complainant is accused of physical or sexual abuse of a child or spouse, child neglect, prostitution, alcohol or drug abuse, or any other criminal act. We also need to be aware of any case where the complainant has been diagnosed by a medical doctor as suffering from a mental illness and/or has been committed to a mental institution and the associated diagnosis. We reserve the right to provide limited help and refuse help to anyone we decide to, at our discretion. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GUIDE FOR A COMPLAINANT WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY From the answers you submitted to us in response to the Intake Guide and Questionnaire, I understand that you do not have an attorney or would like help getting an attorney in your area knowledgeable about freedom of religion law. We strongly suggests that you hire an attorney licensed in your state familiar with freedom of religion law as well as the law relating to the particular context of your case (i.e., employment/education discrimination law, criminal law, divorce/custody law, military law, or prison law, etc.) If you request/requested us to help you in this regard, we may submit the request to various individuals, organizations, and electronic media to help you find an attorney. However, you should understand that there is no guarantee that an attorney will be located via this networking service who will be able to help you. Ultimately, the responsibility for finding an attorney, remains with you. We strongly suggest that you seek out an attorney on your own. Our informational services are not a substitute for legal services, and neither I nor those I work with can provide you legal advice. Our informational services are best used in conjunction with the services of an attorney licensed in your state. It is very important that you have an attorney representing you to provide you legal advice and to protect your rights! To find an attorney on your own, we suggest the following course of action: * Call the local chapter of the ACLU (look in your local telephone book in the business section of the white pages under "American Civil Liberties Union"). Ask them if the ACLU would be willing to take your case or if it could refer you to attorneys who might be willing to take your case. Request them to provide names of attorneys familiar with freedom of religion law as well as the law relating to the context of your case (i.e., employment/education discrimination law, criminal law, divorce/custody law, military law, or prison law.) * Call lawyers referral services, if available (look in your local telephone book in the yellow pages under "lawyers referral services"). Request them to provide names of attorneys familiar with freedom of religion law as well as the law relating to the context of your case (i.e., employment/education discrimination law, criminal law, divorce/custody law, military law, or prison law.) * Call the State Bar Association (look in your local telephone book in the business section of the white pages or in the blue pages under "[state name] [State] Bar Association"). Request them to provide names of attorneys familiar with freedom of religion law as well as the law relating to the context of your case (i.e., employment/education discrimination law, criminal law, divorce/custody law, military law, or prison law.) Contact the local Bar Association and ask if there is a pro bono program. Many local bar associations lower there dues if the members do assigned pro bono or reduced cost work. * Call attorneys directly (look in the your local telephone book in the yellow pages under "attorneys" or "lawyers"). Contact attorneys that advertise experience in the law relating to the context of your case (i.e., employment/education discrimination law, criminal law, divorce/custody law, military law, or prison law.) If you think you cannot afford an attorney, we suggest the following course of action: * Ask the ACLU, the lawyers referral services, and the State Bar Association to provide names of attorneys willing to work on a sliding scale (based on income) or willing to work for free (pro bono). * Ask the attorneys advertised in the telephone book if they are willing to work on a sliding scale (based on income) or work for free (pro bono). * Contact legal aid services in your area, if available. These can be found in your local telephone book in the yellow pages under "legal aid services" "legal aid clinics" or "legal clinics". If you are asking for an attorney to work on a sliding scale or on a pro bono basis, it will be harder to find an attorney, but not impossible. Keep trying! ============end of form====================== +++++ For third party requests without an attorney: To to get the best response from ERAL, and some other lists and individuals, they need to fill out and e-mail the ERAL Case Intake Form below back to the nearest ERAL public contact (with a copy to me), along with a brief summary of their situation (preferably less than two pages long) -- citing the case intake form and other documents for additional details. They also need to send hardcopy of the signed waivers, along with a notarized release from their parents (if they are minors). The form is to be filled out by the persons with the problem. If they are unsure how to check an item, or respond, select the whole form in their e-mail manager as a message that are replying to, then reply as with any e-mail. To fill out checklist portions of the form, do it like this: _X_ I understand and agree to ... In general, the essay portions of form should be dealt with like a reply to e-mail, in which either: 1. The form is replied to in your e-mail "reply to message" software, or 2. Entered as an ASCII file into your word processing software (or simply copied into a blank word processing template), and replied to by writing in their response to the questions. Either way will allow them to include in the form as much text as you may need to explain the circumstances of your situation. If they fill out the form on a word processor, they can then convert and e-mail the filled out form as an attached ASCII (or RTF) file attached to an e-mail message, or simply copy the text into the body of a single e-mail message (if your e-mail software allows a message as long as your filled out form to be entered into the body of an e-mail message). The filled out form can also be broken down into several pieces and sent in several pieces of e-mail (with Subject headers like ERAL Intake form (Part 1 of 3 or Part 2 of 3, or Part 3 of 3 assuming it is sent in three pieces). They can also send the ERAL contacts scanned or word processed versions of any complaints against them and of pertinent evidence, statements by witnesses, etc., to be forwarded on to ERAL. The more complete they make their electronic submission, the more complete the potential response may be from ERAL members, most of whom will only see what has been electronically provided directly concerning your case. Some portions of the form require hardcopy being sent to their contact on ERAL,: particularly signatures. They need to be sure and save their reply and make some copies for their attorney (and to help recruit an attorney, if they still do not have one) and others you ask for assistance. +++++++++++++++