HOW ACCOUNTABLE IS THE CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM?<br /><br /> Measures designed to protect legal consumers against unethical lawyersare they working?<br /><br />- According to the American Bar Association, in 2002, 121,000 complaints were filed against the nation's 1.2 million lawyers.1<br /><br />- Of these 121,000 complaints, only 3.5 percent led to formal discipline and just one percent resulted in disbarment.2<br /><br />- Of these 121,000 complaints, 96.5 percent led to no discipline or only informal slaps on the wrist in the form of private sanctions.3<br /><br /> How does lawyer self-regulation contribute to consumer mistrust in the civil justice system?<br /><br />- According to a HALT study, in 50 states (including the District of Columbia), lawyers make up at least two-thirds of the committee adjudicating attorney discipline complaints.4<br /><br />- According to that same study, in 12 states lawyers make up 100% of discipline hearing panels.5<br /><br />- A Columbia Law School nationwide survey found that two out of three Americans do not think lawyers are even somewhat honest.6<br /><br />- A 2003 CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll found that 84% percent of Americans do not believe lawyers have high ethical standards.7<br /><br />- According to the National Law Journal, 69% of Americans think that lawyers are more focused on making money than serving their clients.8<br /><br /> How does the appearance of judicial impropriety contribute to consumer distrust of the civil justice system?<br /><br />- According to a study conducted by Justice at Stake, when asked How would you rate the job being done by judges in your state, more than one-third (37%) of people surveyed answered fair or poor.9<br /><br />- That same study found that, when asked how well the word independent described judges, more than one-third (35%) of people surveyed answered not too well or not well at all.10<br /><br />- That same study found that, when asked how well the word impartial described judges, more than one-third (34%) of people surveyed answered not too well or not well at all.11<br /><br /><br /> http://www.halt.org/about_halt/press_room/pdf/HALT_Statistics.pdf <br /><br />1 American Bar Association, Survey on Lawyer Discipline Systems (2002).<br />2 American Bar Association, Survey on Lawyer Discipline Systems (2002).<br />3 American Bar Association, Survey on Lawyer Discipline Systems (2002).<br />4 HALT, Lawyer Discipline Report Card (2002).<br />5 HALT, Lawyer Discipline Report Card (2002).<br />6 Columbia Law School, Lawyers and the Legal Profession ( 2002).<br />7 CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll (2003).<br />8 National Law Journal, Polishing the Image, Sept. 16, 2002.<br />9 Justice at Stake Campaign, Justice at Stake Frequency Questionnaire (2001).<br />10 Justice at Stake Campaign, Justice at Stake Frequency Questionnaire (2001).<br />11 Justice at Stake Campaign, Justice at Stake Frequency Questionnaire (2001).<br />---<br />For the sake of the children, SHOOT A LAWYER!!!
