2 0 - MANCHESTER HERALD. Tues., Nov. 23, 1982 S BUSINESS Great people, [At Nathan Hale' Race against bad system turkey is easy clock likely How to beat small claims court scofflaws ... page 6 . page 15 . page 11 oriented political action committees Small Claims Courts are rapidly or similar groups.. The reason is being distorted into a mockery of loaded with irony. ’"TIow Effective is what they originally were designed Industry-oriented lobbyists like to to be — courts in which the con­ show they have supported and'ac­ Your Small Claims Court? sumer (you and I) had a fair chance Your Money's Worth tually helped pass a certain nuriiber of getting justice and equitable How Small Claims Courts ararbeing distorted of pro-consumer measures. Some of Manchester, Conn. treatment against big industry or into 0 mockery of what they were supposed to be — Sylvia Porter these measures often contain Sunny, breezy, uncaring business lobbyists. The dis­ overkill provisions that can hurt protection for you, the consumer; Wednesday, Nov. 24, 1982 tortion if the result of either legitimate business and cost money cool Thursday deliberate action or apathetic that has to be passed on to you, the When does your Ismall Claims Court 25 Cents regulators or ignorant bureaucrats. — See page 2 consumer, via higher prices. Whatever the precise cause, we are sit? If there are no night sessions, you If the lobbyists can agree on a few the 'osers. O may not be able even to get to one. measures that don’t hurt anyone, Thus,' it is of major importance reported a 100 percent success rate consumer claims, your claims as a the legislators can claim credit for Is the maximum limit of payment so that a pioneering law requiring state in getting the judgments paid when consumer may easily be crowded taking action — without insisting on low that it is far below inflation's pace, controversial measures that the lob­ agencies to revoke the licenses of it used this leverage. out. In effect, you are relegated to 4r and is your possible recovery piddling? individuals or corporations that In most states, however, if you limbo, contrary to the goal of justice byists hate. openly ignore Small Claims don’t pay a Small Claims tab, you for you available in a local torum Small Claims can be a kind of "ap­ 2 ^ Does the court take debt collection judgments has just gone on the don’t face triple damages or loss of that is informal and convenient. ple pie reform” that can pass.even Hurricane cases against consumers as weU as books in New York state. The law any license you have. As a result, if 4) Does the Small Claims Court in this climate in which pro­ P&WA offers was signed by Gov. Hugh Carey and you, a consumer, sue and win, you have sessions in local communities, consumer legislation is scarcely as O cases brought by individual was sponsored by state Sen. John R. often just can’t collect. or only at one downtown location? If popular as it was in the 1970s. Ftom complainants, thus crowding out you, a business viewpoint, this kind of Dunne and Assemblyman Richard The situation has been pinpointed the court isn’t available to you at a the consumer? Gottfield. The law also requires that in New Y o rk -- but in most localities practical location, it isn’t a true reform may earn attention from hits Hawaii Small Claims Courts refer to en­ it hasn’t eyen been studied. And Small Claims tribunal. much rougher reforms that can gain Does the court have spssions backing when the consumer pen- forcement agencies any pattern of without sunlight focused on the ex­ 5) Can a Small Claims scofflaw convenient to you, making it a true ^ concessions consumer or other fraud that is dis­ tent of nonpayment, few reform get out of paying by merely saying . dulum swings back, as it always HONOLULU (U PI) — Hurricane-lwa slammed into closed by a large number of cases in measures have been taken that the defendant’s true name isn’t does. Small Claims tribunal? the northern islands of Hawaii with 110-mph winds early throughout the country, those courts. precisely the same as on the sign in THERE HAS BEEN NO Can a Small Claims “scofflaw" get out today, ripping away roofs, toppling trees and power front of the company’s premises or age 62 or for tour years, wnidhever is lines, blocking roads with debris and causing thousands THE OTHER WEAK AREAS in FLOOD of lawsuits since the New By Raymond T. DeMeo THIS I,AW COl'Ll) - and on its invoice, which you probably of paying merely by saying the longer, Giusti said. of people to evacuate their homes. the Small Claims Courts are getting \York law to collect triple damage Herald Reporter should — become a model tor copied in the summons? In New Besides this, he said, the company will weaker, too. Those that demand penalties — because the large-scale defendant’s’ true name isn’t the same as An estimated 6,800 people were ordered or chose to similar legislation throughout the York, this common “ dodge” carries Negotiators for United Technologies increase regular pensions from their attention include: Small Claims scofflaws got the flee to shelters before the storm struck and then spun United States. The Small Claims on the sign at the firm’s premises? Corp., parent company of Pratt & present level of $19 a month per year of 1) When does the Small Claims a separate penalty as well as being message right away. Before the away to the northeast toward the California coast, sub­ Courts are fast being abused into Whitney Aircraft Co., unveiled what they service to $20 a month starting Jan. 1, no excuse. reforms, many real estate manage­ Are there booklets explaining how the siding in intensity. non-existence. Court sit? In some regions, no night characterized as two major contract and $21 a month per year of service star­ sessions are held. This means that if 6) Are there booklets or other in­ ment firms simply pocketed securi­ No deaths or serious injuries were reported, but the court works and the procedures, so you concessions at a bargaining session with' ting in 1984. The New York law builds on a you can’t take time off from work or formation that explain how the ty deposits put up by the tenants and worst of the storm hit the small private island of Niihau, can really use the courts? Machinists union representatives Under the company's proposed pension group of prior measures adopted to hire a babysitter for your children, court works so that you can use the didn’t return them at the end of the kept isolated by its owners who officials were unable to procedures? The courts are worse Tuesday night. plan, a 62-year-old employee with 30 make it tougher to throw away you can t get a hearing. Period. lease. 'The tenant either sued or Is there any public service advertising contact. First assessments of damage on the 24 by 6 than useless if they scare you and The company has agreed to give laid- years of service who retires voluntarily Small Claims judgments: a three­ 2) Is the maximum payment too forgot the money. Some did sue, won mile island where 226 pecjple live were to be made from you dare not use them. about the court, where it sits and when, o ff workers severance pay and begin an in January would be eligible for a pen­ time Small Claims loser can be low or has it kept up with inflation? and then found they had no way to r J the air at daybreak. .7 ) Is there any public service early-retirement incentive program, sion of $900 a month, Giusti said. slapped with attorneys’ fees plus tri­ If the limit is piddling and you have collect the judgment without the so you know how to sue? • 1N3 UAIWUI f r «w SyndIcaM benefits P&WA employees never bad The company didn't reveal its new Millions of dollars in damage was feared, mostly on ple the amount of any further a big-ticket lemon, you are without a advertising or other way that you expense of a lawyer. Big-time before, UTC spokesman Frank Giusti proposals until after 11 p.m. Tuesday, the island of Kauai, where power lines were down and judgments that aren't-paid. Clerks remedy. A limit of, say, $1,000 per­ know about the court, where and scofflaws don’t try that particular is a comprehensive desk calendar said today. union spokesman K iefer said. trees blocked all major streets. Roofs were blown away are supposed to keep a file of unpaid, mits you to sue for that amount if a when it sits as well as how to sue if trick any longer. In any event, the triple damage you need to? There should be. and consumer handbook featuring Machinists union spokesman Lou and hundreds of windows were smashed. Barbara Daly judgments indexed by names of the $6,000 item costs $1,000 to fix — but Medium-sized Small Claims guillotine plus the threat of license Porter’s best money-saving advice Kiefer called the company's concessions Kiefer said toe company timed what of the Kaauai Civil Defense corps said. She said 5,800 defendants involved to make it your total price was obviously far scofflaws, though, may get away revocation have stopped the most IE A .W O F TH ESE weak spots and tips for organizing your budget.