# There seems to be a lot of people who don't have access to lawyers **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 30, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897 "2012-07-30T22:01:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/21 "2012-07-31T00:48:52Z")
[QUOTE=Diamonds02] Really? Seriously. Speeding tickets? [/QUOTE] I was speeding. I paid the fine. [QUOTE=Diamonds02] Bankruptcy? [/QUOTE] Narrowly avoided that by staying employed, paying my bills and not maxing out my credit cards on trips to Vegas and Cancun. [QUOTE=Diamonds02] Medical malpractice? [/QUOTE] Nope, always had the correct limb amputated. Lucky, I guess. [QUOTE=Diamonds02] Wills? [/QUOTE] Got one made up for free when we bought life insurance. [QUOTE=Diamonds02] Divorce? [/QUOTE] Not so far. Why, what have you heard? [QUOTE=Diamonds02] The list goes on and on. [/QUOTE] Yep. Well, at least as far as “DUIs?” which… knock on wood. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/22 "2012-07-31T00:58:37Z")
All of my friends have access to lawyers. It’s competent maids and butlers that we simply cannot find. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/23 "2012-07-31T01:07:41Z")
I have been divorced twice, adopted the second wife’s daughter, got married a third time, and I didn’t need a lawyer for any of that. I am 56 and my entire life’s net expense for lawyers is $0, $zero, nada. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/24 "2012-07-31T01:16:24Z")
Who doesn’t have “access” to lawyers? 😕 Al-Qaeda? ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/25 "2012-07-31T01:20:40Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > Really? Seriously. Speeding tickets? Bankruptcy? Medical malpractice? Wills? Divorce? Power of Attorney? The list goes on and on. Never needed a lawyer? Wow, that’s cool if you never been in those situations. > > I’m just confused why some people aren’t motivated to find one. I thought a lawyer would be on the list of people you want to have access to…like auto mechanics, club owners, hotel managers, and police. > > Oh, and some lawyers won’t take people without a reference. I don’t \*\*have \*\*a lawyer, but going down your list: The divorce was long ago, in another state. I don’t remember the guy’s name. He didn’t do much. POA - I did get pulled into having a lawyer do one for my aunt. Got him from the phone book. Don’t remember the name. He’d be a six hour drive away, so no need to remember. Probably ought to make a will, but it would be exactly the same as if I died without one, so no big hurry. We have an auto mechanic in the family. Any other sudden needs and I’d ask around. ---
**Author:** ![listedmia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e0b2c6/32.png) [@listedmia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/listedmia)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/26 "2012-07-31T02:32:51Z")
I’ve used the services of three different lawyers in my young life, but I’m kind of a fuckup. Two of them were friends of the family, one of them was a public defender. I wouldn’t “have” a lawyer who I’m calling all the time though. I also don’t hang out with any hotel managers or cops, and the only “club owner” I know is the 70-year-old alcoholic lady who lives above my local dive bar. She occasionally pays my boyfriend to fix her sink, so I guess we get some benefit out of that. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/27 "2012-07-31T03:01:18Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Who doesn’t have “access” to lawyers? 😕 Al-Qaeda? The poor. I spent the last decade working for a non-profit dedicated to providing legal representation in a limited list of civil matters to people who qualified for services under the federal poverty guidelines. The federal budget cuts last year cost my former employer about 25% of their annual grant, which resulted in the employer having to close my office. That office served 10 counties in a rural state. In those 10 counties live over 50,000 people who would qualify to receive services. To serve those 50,000 potential clients, I was the only lawyer. I turned away about two out of every three people that asked for help, because I simply did not have the resources to help them. Now, the 10 counties I used to serve have been divided among the offices serving adjoining regions of the state. Two offices now serve 15 counties each, with 75,000 potential clients each. Still only one lawyer per office. The only cases being accepted are the easiest–which can usually be referred to volunteer lawyers who have agreed to accept a couple of very simple matters per year on a pro bono (no attorney fee) basis, and the most serious cases of domestic violence, child abuse, foreclosure, eviction, etc. I do not know the most recent figures, but I suspect that dwindling resources for such programs are going to cause the case rejection rate to rise closer to three out of every four cases. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/28 "2012-07-31T03:13:32Z")
I’ve been too busy making friends with nuclear physicists, bioengineers and nanotechnicians to befriend any lawyers. Guess which one of us is more prepared for the upcoming apocalypse?? ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/29 "2012-07-31T03:14:49Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > Really? Seriously. Speeding tickets? Bankruptcy? Medical malpractice? Wills? Divorce? Power of Attorney? The list goes on and on. Never needed a lawyer? Wow, that’s cool if you never been in those situations. > > I’m just confused why some people aren’t motivated to find one. I thought a lawyer would be on the list of people you want to have access to…like auto mechanics, club owners, hotel managers, and police. > > Oh, and some lawyers won’t take people without a reference. Seriously? You sound like an ad for an Attorney finding service, or whatever they call them these days. Are you a non-legal spokesperson? You sound like someone who wants to impose litigation into any and every aspect of anyone and everyone. I don’t like you. Is your fleet of lawyers accustomed with MOD law and TPTB? ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/30 "2012-07-31T03:26:44Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > I’ve been too busy making friends with nuclear physicists, bioengineers and nanotechnicians to befriend any lawyers. Guess which one of us is more prepared for the upcoming apocalypse?? Like any of those occupations are going to help with zombies. At least with lawyers, you have someone you can throw to the undead hordes without feeling too much guilt over it.\* \*Just kidding. Please don’t sue. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/31 "2012-07-31T03:30:35Z")
> [@42fish](#): > > Like any of those occupations are going to help with zombies. At least with lawyers, you have someone you can throw to the undead hordes without feeling too much guilt over it.\* > > \*Just kidding. Please don’t sue. I don’t know, I think they have a pretty solid case to sue for damages for Intent to Betray During a Class Z-7 Apocalyptic Scenario (Zombies). ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/32 "2012-07-31T03:30:57Z")
I was marveling a while back about how I have managed to reach my mid-40’s without ever being arrested or having any kind of legal trouble. Good for me! Then I thought about how most of my friends and family members haven’t, either, and I realized that I’m just not that special. ☹ Most people don’t routinely need lawyers. If you find yourself routinely needing a lawyer, you may want to examine your lifestyle. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/33 "2012-07-31T04:07:53Z")
“Having access to _a_ lawyer” isn’t necessarily very helpful, anyway. I envisioned to hire one once. But I needed one specialized in a specific area of law\* (if the lawyer you have “access to” handle family law cases, you won’t hire him for a business contract case, will you?), so except if you have “access” to a couple dozens lawyers, I’m not sure how useful it is. (\*)Even more true since it turned out that there was no legal precedent for the issue, despite it appearing extremely basic to me. One who couldn’t help me with it told me it would be interesting to go up to the highest court with this case. Last year, I noticed in a paper that a similar case did indeed go up to the Supreme Court. The guy did won it. So, I missed my chance to have my name attached to a minor caselaw, apparently. Anyway, I eventually decided not to sue, and it was the wisest decision, I think, so no regret. By the way, it caused one of those discussion between me and a lawyer that lawyers must hate. I kept insisting that the lawyer must had misunderstood something about the situation and that what he said couldn’t be right, repeating again and again my situation : Me : “But see…It’s written in this statute that…” Lawyer : “Yes, but this statute only applies if you’re in situation A, and you aren’t” Me : “But yes, in fact, I’m in situation A. Watch this document” Lawyer : “No, you aren’t” Me: “blahblahblah… Yes, I am” Lawyer :“No, you aren’t” […] Later : Me : “then if I’am in situation B, it means that…” Lawyer : “You aren’t in situation B, either” Me : But…blahblahblah… Lawyer : You already told me that. Doesn’t change a thing. You aren’t. […] Later : Me : “But _I have_ to be either in situation A or in situation B.” Lawyer : “Yes, you should, but you aren’t in either. That’s precisely the problem with your case and what I said since the beginning” To my defense, I would say that I was incredulous that my situation could not be covered by any existing regulation and it took me a while to intellectually accept the concept that it might not. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/34 "2012-07-31T04:41:27Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > I thought a lawyer would be on the list of people you want to have access to…like > auto mechanics, They tend to overcharge, and if I have to “Know someone” to get a fair price, they definitely are. > [@](#): > > club owners, What kind of douche lives his life by “knowing club owners”? Take your free entry, free drinks, and VIP and , well, you know what to do with it. You come bearing advice about legal counsel? Does a free Ed Hardy shirt and bottle service come with your advice? > [@](#): > > hotel managers, Most travelers know how to take advantage of frequent stay bonuses, but you know a guy? Cool! We can get two extra towels and a porno rental for FREE! > [@](#): > > and police. I’m aware of the police. Most people are. Why would you include them in this list? Do you know specific cops, or specific services that aren’t know to the public? Why would you include a governmental agency in your list of places to get discounts from? > [@](#): > > Oh, and some lawyers won’t take people without a reference. Is this where you or you come in? :eek: > [@Diamonds02](#): > > You’ll want to know auto mechanics and hotel managers to get nice discounts; club owners to get free entry, sometimes free drinks, and possibly free VIP. You sound like the respectable attorney I should call when serious issues arise. These include Speeding tickets, Bankruptcy, Medical malpractice, Wills, Divorce and Power of Attorney, because I trust you to do everyday things so much. “It’s OK Grandma, this guy’s cool to handle your estate, he got me free drinks and VIP access at that titty bar upstate”. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/35 "2012-07-31T07:34:12Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Your replies indicate you assume everyone is like you, is living like you are - really, they’re not, really. We could just copy and paste this into pretty much any of the other threads from this OP. “Is it just me, or…?” - Yes. Actually. it. is. just. you. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/36 "2012-07-31T08:40:35Z")
I’ve got a secret method for escaping speeding tickets. Put me on a retainer and I’ll tell you what it is. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/37 "2012-07-31T10:34:45Z")
I’ll share my method for free - don’t speed. 😛 When we lived in Florida, our circle of friends included a lawyer, and that’s just because his legal secretary’s daughter and my daughter were in daycare together. The secretary did a power of attorney for us - that is, she printed out a standard generic document with our names in the correct spaces. They did it for free, but we didn’t ask for that favor - we’d have paid anyway. Frankly, I wouldn’t have considered taking advantage of our friendship, but I was grateful when they offered. Other than that, I don’t know that we’ve had any legal issues to worry about. My husband’s surgeons have been competent, so no lawsuits there, and in Maryland, you don’t need a lawyer for a will - just 2 witnesses. Divorce is unlikely, and since we pay our bills, so in bankruptcy. We do have a pretty good relationship with our auto mechanic, but he doesn’t give us discounts. However, he knows our cars well and he’s always taken good care of them. My husband does a lot of travel for work to a particular city and he always stays in the same hotel, altho I don’t know what his relationship with the manager is. Since he pays his bills and doesn’t trash the room, I’m guessing it’s good. On the other hand, we don’t know any club owners. We were members of a yacht club once, but there were too many douchy members, so we quit, and I doubt that’s the kind of club anyway… ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/38 "2012-07-31T11:09:29Z")
My trick is to not speed where the cops will catch you. Be aware of your surroundings, take cues from other drivers (especially professionals like long-distance truckers) and don’t go weaving in and out of lanes (that draws attention to you like nothing else). I don’t think I know any “club owners” but we are friends with several restaurant owners and chefs in town. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/39 "2012-07-31T12:05:30Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Nope, always had the correct limb amputated. Lucky, I guess. I stopped practicing medicine since I don’t have a medical license. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897/40 "2012-07-31T12:16:49Z")
You can’t fling a dead cat without hitting a lawyer in this state. Its not hard to find one. Try google. Or if you are old, the yellow pages. They advertise on TV. I have no idea what you are talking about. I have never heard of anyone going without representation because they couldn’t find a lawyer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-seems-to-be-a-lot-of-people-who-dont-have-access-to-lawyers/629897.md?page=3)