tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80548127117273414752024-03-04T22:47:30.777-08:00The Legwork Process Servers' BlogChristi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-56304011789197649812018-05-23T09:35:00.000-07:002018-06-12T09:04:52.129-07:00YOU'VE GOT MAIL<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Rick Waters and Carol Smith were married on November 1, 2001. After a six or seven year marriage, Carol Smith Waters filed for divorce on December 2, 2007. On July 13, 2008, a divorce Judgment was entered, the marriage ended. There are no children from this marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">November 22, 2011, three years later - Rick is sitting at his desk and decides to open the daily mail. He finds it intriguing that it's a letter from the Sacramento Superior Court, family law division. To his astonishment, it's a court document called a Findings and Order After Hearing stating his divorce has been set-aside (set-aside is legal jargon meaning his divorce is null and voided). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">He's no longer divorced?? Huh? What? This is freaking unbelievable! What hearing???<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">He had not heard from his ex-wife in three years and now he's no longer divorced? How could this happen without him knowing about it? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Rick then hired LEGWORK to find out how this happened and how he can get this court decision overturned so that he is divorced - again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Off to the courthouse I go, pulling the case file and looking at every document Carol filed. There is a document called an ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE (aka OSC, that she hired some paralegal to prepare), asking the court to set-aside her marital Judgment. She whines in this court document that she only has a GED, no college or legal education experience, she didn’t know what she was doing when filing for divorce back in 2007, and now wants the court to open the door so that Carol can go after Rick for property and spousal support. There is a marital settlement agreement originally signed by both of them in the file and all original paperwork appears to be in order. After reading the entire file, the lowdown is this: Carol had managed to somehow get six court hearings from the Sacramento Superior Court without Rick's knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">In the last hearing, Carol got the Judge to sign off on her request to set-aside her divorce and this is the copy Rick received in the mail. What did Carol do in all these court hearings? How did she or the court get away with not notifying Rick of all these hearings?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Rick swears he was never personally served or notified regarding any court hearing and especially did not know about this ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. He had no clue Carol was even pursuing any legal action at all. Here are further facts from the court file, read it and be warned, this is a real injustice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The first court hearing after initially filing the OSC was set for January 4, 2011, in Dept. 124 of the Family Law court. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Carol attends this first hearing, and the Judge re-sets the hearing for a time in February because there was no Proof of Service showing that Rick received any kind of notification regarding this legal paper and hearing. Carol goes back to court in February, and the Judge again re-sets the hearing in March because there was again, no Proof of Service showing Rick had any notice of this hearing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Carol goes back to court in March, and again this hearing was re-set for April 25th, because again, there was no proof of service. At the April hearing, Carol shows up and again the Judge would not hear it due to there being no Proof of Service. Another hearing date was then set for July 18, 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">In the case file, each hearing has its own notes of what transpired each time. Carol, in every hearing, told the Judge that she cannot find Rick to serve him and needs more time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Rick had no knowledge of any of these court appearances by Carol and definitely did not know about the hearing in July. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">From April to July 18, 2011, a review of statements made by Carol in the case file, it appears Carol engaged in filing false information, thus allowing the court to believe certain things about Rick thus granting her what she wanted; she got the court to set-aside her marital Judgment, without Rick having any knowledge of this or a chance to defend himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Carol has known the whole time where Rick's business is located (she worked there at one time) and could have easily served Rick. His business is open to the public, when you come into the store his desk is in public view. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">One note in the case file is definitely misleading to the court. Carol states she hired a process server, some guy named Gary, to try and serve Rick the Order to Show Cause. According to this process server, he stated in a Due Diligence Declaration that he attempted to serve Rick at two different old addresses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Carol knows that Rick hasn't lived at these addresses for years and could have sent the process server to his place of business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">At one of these hearings, Carol speaks to the court about getting permission to publish a document called APPLICATION & ORDER FOR SERVICE OF PUBLICATION. This is an action where you can legally serve a person by publishing the legal document in a newspaper. In this document she tells the court:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">1. Carol cannot locate Rick to serve him documents regarding the hearings. (false)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">2. Rick has some kind of outstanding legal action against him. (false) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">3. Her "only choice" to serve Rick is by publishing this notice in a paper (false) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">4. Carol states that Rick “will continue to take action to avoid service.” (false)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Based on these statements the court can only assume that Rick is avoiding service, that he can’t be found, that he has some legal action against him from somewhere and that he will continue to avoid this legal situation. (false)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Carol lies to the Judge and he signs the ORDER on May 23, 2011, now allowing Carol to publish this notice in the newspaper and she does so for four weeks in June 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Rick or anyone else for that matter doesn't make it a habit to check the newspapers every day looking for this kind of legal notice in some small time newspaper. Would you? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Carol knew this notice would never be seen by Rick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">During this publication period of four weeks, Carol hires another process serving company. It is unknown why she would do this, she has already published, and the court requires nothing else to be done. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">There is another time where Carol hired another process server, James. This process server goes to Auburn, CA. address seven times. She has James sign a Due Diligence Declaration that he went to this address and couldn’t find Rick. She files this with the court on July 18, 2011. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">At no time did this process server come to Rick's work either. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">July 18th, in the Sacramento Superior Court, Dept. 124 @ 1:30 PM, without Rick's knowledge, Carol tells the court Rick cannot be located and that she has no idea where he is. Therefore the Judge rules that the divorce Judgment is set-aside, issuing a FINDINGS AND ORDER AFTER HEARING, in her favor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Carol then goes further by getting some female friend to serve Rick by just mailing a copy of this Findings and Order After Hearing. This female then signs a court document stating Rick was served by mail. But again, Carol gives this person an old address to mail it to. Rick has not lived there for almost a year but luckily, this court order was forwarded to him at his work address and here we are today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Rick now has to fill out court forms, obtain a hearing asking the court to set-aside the Order and Findings after Hearing per CCP Code 473 and impose Sanctions per PC 271 on Carol for purposely misleading the court as to Rick's whereabouts, including sanctions for causing him undue financial hardship for filing this Motion, including attorney, paralegal and court fees. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">In situations like this, it would cost thousands of dollars to litigate this mess. And sure enough, Rick decided after hearing what some attorney's and mediation fees were, he asked me if I could further assist him. I told him I wasn't an attorney but as a process server, I could use some of my skills and see what happens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The first thing I did was prepare an Affidavit and several other Request for Hearing documents (of all of the facts I have laid out so far), had Rick sign each one, filed them all with the court and our hearing was set for January 15, 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Now I need to serve Carol with a copy of this and I am reminded of an old saying, “Keep your friends close, and your enemy’s closer."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">― Sun Tzu <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I decided to just telephone Carol, I have to serve her anyway, she can run but not hide, and it makes sense to do this the simple way first. To my luck, she was receptive, all too eager to meet, be the victim and tell me all about it. Besides serving her, I wanted to find out what her beef really is and what her strategy is going to be at the hearing in January. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">As it turns out, I met with Carol on two occasions. The first time we met, I served her the legal papers so she can attend the hearing. She talked openly and I noted her statements telling her I wanted to type up an Affidavit for her signature, and we would get together again to make sure it was correct before I filed it with the court. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I had no intention of doing jack-crap with any Affidavit; I just wanted her strategy, which is:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">She wants alimony from Rick.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">She wants the court to subpoena his bank accounts, financial records from his business and other financial institutions so she can show the court the amount of money he is making.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">She wants equitable monies for all the property and business assets he has. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">When we met again, I pretended to give-a-hoot and let her read a quasi-affidavit I typed up. Not to my surprise at all, she changes her story on certain statements she had said to me previously. She’d say, “I didn’t mean that” or, “I think someone misunderstood” or “I want to think about whether or not I am going to say that in the courtroom”. When I tried to confirm exactly what statements she was going to make or what statements she possibly might make in the courtroom, she stated repeatedly that she wants to “think about it”. Basically, I could not get her to commit on what she was going to say, she was being manipulative, evasive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Then Carol decides to verbally tell me if Rick does not cooperate she might have to tell the court and Judge the following: Rick told her after the divorce, he would still take care of her, and they had sexual relations while she continued to work for him in his business. She'll go on to tell the court Rick owes her for the time he beat her up, which she had bruises and pictures of this abuse, and that Rick hid $200,000 cash during the original divorce proceedings. All of these accusations are false. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">It was really apparent now that Carol felt scorned and wanted revenge, and if she keeps lying which she has done and continues to do, then these hearings will never end. She'll make up lies why she can't show proof of abuse, "I lost the pictures" or "my internet provider is going to send me the emails" or "I need more time" or in actuality, it's "I'm going to keep on lying and disrupt Rick's life." It will be hearing after hearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The one thing I had going for me was she was very naive, she had no clue what the repercussions were for lying to a Judge in a courtroom. Since I met her, I found her to have no inkling of a conscious. Trying to pin her down about these untrue statements, she just ignored them in a contempt manner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">These hearings had to stop, this craziness had to stop. I have no pity when I find that someone does not have a conscious. So I am going to call her bluff, show her how the legal system really can work to bite her in the ass and teach her a lesson. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I prepared some subpoenas which forced Carol to come to the court hearing with documents and pictures showing physical abuse. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I gave a trial subpoena to all the process servers she hired so they can testify in court that Carol purposely gave them Rick's old addresses so he could NOT be found. I also gave a trial subpoena to a bookkeeper who knew Carol had worked in Rick's business prior to the divorce, to testify that Carol knew where to find Rick this whole time. I also subpoenaed Carol's mother, who knew where Rick worked along with giving subpoena's to two other friends of Carol's, who knew where Rick was working.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I served Carol with all of these subpoenas, and she was pissed beyond belief. She went into a screaming tirade, throwing the subpoenas everywhere and stalked off, threatening to hire a lawyer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I told Rick that I have done what I can do within my process serving ability and that he may need a lawyer if she continues to lie and cause trouble. We won't know until the court hearing in January. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In the meantime, I filed another Affidavit with the court outlining Carol's accusations and how they are false. There never was any physical abuse, much less sexual relations after the divorce and neither was there $200,000 hidden anywhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I checked the court case file periodically up until the hearing date to see if Carol had filed any more paperwork with the court, but there was nothing, so if anything I got her to stop filing lies and distortions with the court. Rick prepared for the worst, which she would attend the hearing, carry-on like a victim and we'll be in court hearings forever, and he'll need to hire a very expensive lawyer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Unbeknownst to Carol, court Judges really don't have time to read every document that is filed. Since Carol brought this action, she gets to go first at the hearing. She'll start rambling and the judge won't have any idea what she is talking about. I told Rick, do not say or do anything at the hearing unless the Judge asks him a question, let Carol dig herself into a bigger hole. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">JUDGMENT DAY: January 20, 2012 - Sacramento Superior Court - 1:30 PM<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Rick and I show up along with the witnesses we subpoenaed. Carol shows up by herself and does not look in our direction at all. After listening to three other cases before us, it was Rick's turn; both he and Carol went up to their prospective seats. The Judge looked over the file, took off his glasses, looked up at Carol and said, "You go first Ms. Smith, what is going on here?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">To our amazement, Carol made this statement. "In light of new discussions with my family and counselor, I wish to withdraw my intentions to set-aside my divorce judgment and actually re-instate my divorce". The Judge asked her if she was absolutely sure she wanted to do this and if she is doing this under her own determinism. She replied that she was. The Judge then stated to both Rick and Carol that the original divorce judgment of July 13, 2008, was reinstated. This hearing took less than five minutes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I still believe up to this day that the Judge had no time to read all the Affidavits, not really knowing all the lies Carol told. If she had pursued this action, then all her lies and perjury would have come to light resulting in some kind of punishment. I also believe that the basis of the subpoenas and asking people to testify threatened to expose Carol's lies. She was scared that she would get caught for lying and obstructing justice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Rick and I left the courtroom, waited in the lobby for the bailiff to bring us some paperwork, and while we were waiting, Carol left the courtroom and came into the lobby, saw us and flipped us off as she went by. That's okay, we made our point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-39710992711603975322018-03-08T09:25:00.000-08:002018-06-12T08:55:48.613-07:00SMALL CLAIMS IS NOT YOUR FRIEND<div style="border: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></strong> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></strong> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I mean this in the most sincere way, Small Claims court is not your friend if you do not understand how it really works. I still run into people who are frustrated and upset with small claims court because they did not feel justice was served, for one reason or another including small technicalities and frankly, because the proper legal procedure was not followed.</span></strong><br />
<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></strong> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Instead of writing an entire small claims legal course, I am going to list a few of the most common misunderstandings people make (not your fault as there are things the court just doesn't have time to tell you). No, I am not an attorney. My job as a process server, when serving small claims papers entitles me to take the initiative to make sure the legal papers you just filed are correct. </span></strong><br />
<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></strong> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> This is an article giving you advice and opinion based on my experience, some of it may be harsh but it is reality. Always consult an attorney for an actual course of action if you have concerns. Court clerks do not check if your paperwork is 100% correct, it's not their job and they do not give legal advice - it is up to us to figure it out.</span></strong><br />
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Common Misunderstandings:</span></strong><br />
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">WRONG NAME FOR DEFENDANT: This kind of mistake mostly happens when you are suing a business. If you are suing </strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Joe Smith Automotive </strong></em><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">because that was the name on your receipt, it is not necessarily his legal name that he has to be sued under. All the defendant has to do is show up for the court hearing, tell the Judge this legal paper does not have the correct legal name for the business, and the case can be dismissed, and some have been dismissed. This is because if you win your case and get a Judgment, then you want to file a lien or attach wages, your <span style="background-color: white;">Judgment </span>has to match the defendant's name exactly with any bank accounts, government agencies or employers. HINT: To find the legal name of any business or company, look at the bottom of their <span style="background-color: white;">webpage. The web address might say www.joesmithautomotive.com but at the bottom of the web page it</span> will say Joe Smith Automotive <span style="background-color: white;">LLC.,</span> and this is the name you put on your legal papers. You can contact the Secretary of State to find out who is the Agent for Service. If there is no web search information, check with the County Recorder for a Fictitious Business Name Statement such as Joe Smith Automotive, or check with the CA Bureau of Automotive Repair or the State Contractors Board, (if the defendant is a contractor). If Joe Smith Automotive is not listed with the CA Bureau of Automotive Repair or any other governing agency, then you are probably safe suing Joe with the only name you have. If you are suing any contractor or automotive repair company and they have no license with the CA State Agencies they are supposed to, get a letter stating this from the Agency, take it to the hearing and you will probably win your case just because of that. So bottom line, before you sue a business make sure you have the actual legal name for the business or company. Here's as the trick: Before a client of mine wanted to sue a business, I needed to know the legal name of a business and his banking information so I could levy his bank account. I could not find this information anywhere. I went to the business, bought something from him and wrote a check, then from my bank I got a copy of the check after it cleared. The legal name and account number were on the back of the check where the business endorsed it.</strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LEVERAGE: I have seen people sue another because of emotion, not practicality. Take a moment and ask yourself if you are going to be effective in recovering your money. In other words, what in gods name makes you think, after serving a defendant, he/she is just going to show up in court and get his/her hand slapped with an order from the Judge to pay you? Ask any collection agency, they have hundreds of Judgments they cannot collect on. Do you know why? NO LEVERAGE. With collections agencies, it's a crapshoot. They figured if they keep harassing someone, they will pay. Not so much. A low life has ripped you off - they did not have car insurance when they hit you, or bounced a check on you or they failed to pay back rent - we get it, it's a bummer. But make sure before you go through all the court bureaucracy to get a hearing and then a Judgment, that the person you are suing </strong><em style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">has something to lose. </strong></em><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If a loser has nothing to lose then the result is, you lose. For example, does the person you are suing own any property, or been at their job for a long time? Does this person have a successful business with employees and an actual commercial property address? Does this person have something that if you sue him, will affect some part of his life? Then you have leverage, because the person you are suing doesn't want a lien on his house, they don't want their wages attached, and he wouldn't want his business levied on. After reading this, if you still want to sue because you want "justice" and are still angry - and the loser you are suing has no job or any leverage - here's what you do. After you get your Judgment, get a certified copy of it from the small claims court clerk, take it to the County Recorder and for a few bucks you can put a lien on the Defendant. You are actually putting the lien on his/her name, because if this loser ever wins the lottery, he has to pay all his lien obligations first, and that's you. (Did you know the State of California checks you out before they fork over the lottery money to you?). If you owe the government any money or have liens on you, the lottery takes this money out of your winnings. So you might recover the money someday, but for now the lien will stay on file and if the loser ever tries to buy a house with an inheritance or something, the loser will have to pay you before escrow closes. I wrote an interesting legal case about LEVERAGE on my blog: </strong><a href="http://www.legworkpi.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" style="border: 0px; color: #8c68cb; cursor: pointer; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">www.legworkpi.com</strong></a><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> and this gives you insight on how important leverage is.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">APPLICATION AND ORDER TO APPEAR FOR EXAMINATION: I have never seen this work. That doesn't mean it hasn't worked for some people if so, let me know as I've never seen it work. Any Plaintiff suing another, and has a Judgment for monies they want to collect but can't find anything the Defendant owns to levy, or you can't figure out where they work or pretty much anything else, you can serve this Application and Order on the Defendant, (more court and process serving fees). This makes the Defendant show up and under oath, has to answer all your questions about his property, finances and other assets. Please remember this is an informal hearing, don't expect the Judge to fight for you so you can "finally get justice." A Judge can't make the Defendant tell the truth. If the Defendant says he doesn't have a bank account, he doesn't have to prove he doesn't. If the Defendant says he doesn't have a job, he doesn't have to prove he doesn't. He doesn't have to prove anything. If he had the money to pay you in the first place, you wouldn't need to do this. You are better off doing your own research into the Defendant's property and assets so you can attach wages or a lien etc.</strong><span style="color: blue;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </strong><strong style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/ej125.pdf" rel="nofollow noopener" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">www.courts.ca.gov/documents/ej125.</a></strong></span></span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT - SERVING PAPERS FOR YOU: Most Sheriff's Civil Divisions in CA will serve your legal papers for you, for a small fee. What you need to know is, it is not an actual Sheriff in a uniform using a Sheriff's vehicle serving your papers. They are process servers in plain clothes, just like any other process server. They only work from 8 AM to 5 PM and are employees of the Sheriff's Department. They do not work nights or weekends and do not guarantee your papers will be served. If the Sheriff's Civil Division does not serve your papers in time for your hearing, you have to start all over again. It is better to hire a private process server who can work nights and weekends, and get the legal papers served on time for you. The Sheriff's Department should be used if you need to do a bank levy, earnings withholding order, vehicle levy or business seizures. Check out the Civil Division, Service of Process at <a href="http://www.sacsheriff.com/" target="_blank">www.sacsheriff.com</a>.</span></strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So these are the most important things to know especially regarding LEVERAGE. Remember, we must also keep emotion out of any small claims case. Judges only follow laws governing small claims, they cannot help you get punitive damages to handle any emotional distress. That is another courts jurisdiction.</span></strong></div>
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Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-36704724326464376582018-01-20T18:53:00.000-08:002018-06-12T09:00:58.672-07:00"MY JAIL TIME"<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I'd always believed that old saying that the first 15 minutes in jail were the toughest until I experienced the 5 minutes after."</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana";">~Bob Odenkirk~</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana";">Comedian</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> I'm a process server, and I'm in jail....it's a long story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> For many years, it was the policy of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, (who supervise, guard and run the County Jail) that when you serve an inmate who is incarcerated, the Sheriff's Deputy at the reception station/window takes the legal papers and serves the inmate for us. You still go through the front door to the initial security station, then wait your turn in line to speak to one of the deputies. Then the deputy takes the papers from you while you are writing down his name and badge number, then you are done - "<em>free as a bird</em>". That's the way it's always been done. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> So about three years ago, I had to serve some divorce papers on an inmate who was in the county jail. No problem, I go bebopping downtown, park near the jail, throw a couple of quarters in the meter and enter the jail to the security area. Two quarters for parking was plenty of money, I'm only going to be in there for about fifteen minutes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> I went up to the security window, telling the Sheriff's Deputy the usual standard protocol and started to hand him the divorce papers. The deputy told me they no longer accept legal papers for inmates, that from now on the process server actually goes up to the prisoner/visitor center and serves them <em>personally</em>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> "HUH?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> I asked the deputy "what does this mean"? He laughs and makes the same statement. He knows me from previous visits so I asked him if he was playing with me and he said no. In the background, a couple of other deputies were laughing - not at me, just my humoristic attitude.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> "HUH?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> The Sheriff's Deputy laughs again and then gives me the whole security procedure checklist in order to go through the ominous doors behind him. This is after he makes a copy of my license. Here is what I had to do: I had to</span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> put more money in the meter along with putting </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">my cell phone, license and spare change in my car. I then had to take</span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> all the staples out of the legal papers I was carrying. When I arrived back at the security window, I had to be patted down, (can't remember if this was an electronic-stick-thing pat down or a physical one).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> The deputy informs me that they will bring the prisoner to me at the visitor center upstairs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> Then to my surprise, as soon as the deputy opens the ominous door, telling me to go through, he shuts the door on me, and all I hear is a loud clang. He isn't there with me, no one is. This is such a new experience, I don't know what to make of it. The elevators were right there so I push the button and waited. I finally get in the elevator, no one else is on it, and I hit the third-floor button. I get off the elevator, there is no one around. The only thing I see is a locked door at the end of the hall with a small window. I peeked in the window then jumped back about 5 feet scared out of my freaking wits! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> The deputy had come over the loudspeaker for that hallway and told me to stand back, the door will unlock.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> Then I hear a loud click, I touch the door handle and it opens. I went in trying to hide my shaking body from jumping out of my skin. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> In this room, it was just like on television, there is a long bulletproof glass window running across the entire room, dividing the inmate from his visitor or lawyer, and then 3/4 partition walls for a little privacy. There are about 6-8 chairs on each side and they each have a telephone, just like on TV. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I really calmed down at this point, this looked simple enough now, there were a couple of inmates talking to their lawyers. I sat in one of the chairs on the visitor's side and waited.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> Then a Sheriff's Deputy started eyeing me, there goes the blood pressure up again. The deputy comes to the glass window picks up the phone so I pick up my phone and he asks if I am here for "Inmate Smith". I told him yes and he tells me I have to go into a "special locked room" down the hall. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> Oh my God! I asked the deputy "WHY?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> (<em>oh WHY? WHY? WHY?)</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> He stated that whenever an inmate is going to get bad news of any kind, they are spoken to in a locked private room. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><em> Crap!</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> This is no exaggeration, you have no idea the humongous amount of intimidation this place has. I've been "on the inside" for fifteen minutes and according to the comedian, <a href="http://www.comedycentral.com/comedians/bobodenkirk" target="_blank">Bob Odenkirk</a>, the next five minutes isn't lookin' good either. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> This private room is the same size as the regular visitor's partitions and window divider except the dividing privacy walls go all the way to the ceiling. There is a phone on each side. The inmate side has a large window (so the deputy can watch him), and the door will lock after the deputy lets the inmate in. My door has already locked me in with no access to get out unless you figure out the wall of instructions to release the door lock. Too late to read anything, I am locked in there, "CLANG". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> So I am now claustrophobic but have it under "control". I can see down below to the next level via the window and it's just like we see on television. I see inmates in their orange jumpsuits, eating, doing chores, playing cards or chatting away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> While I am waiting for Inmate Smith, I am reading the signs on the wall. I kid you not - here is the main sign posted. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">This isn't going to be verbatim and I forgot most of it but this is the gist: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> "If you are here visiting an inmate and giving him bad news, and after you have informed him of said news, then please inform us if the prisoner experiences any manifestations of threatening suicide, threatening someone else or is acting in a strange manner". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> Sure I will, no problem....ON WHAT FREAKING COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AM I GONNA use to contact you if he starts choking himself?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> All of these stupid but warranted thoughts were running through my mind because it was taking so long for the deputy to bring the inmate. It is starting to get really hot in this little room and thirty minutes have gone by, no one has checked on me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> I pick up the phone but there is no one on the other end, it's just for the inmate and me to talk to one another. I kind of knew this but I was getting worried that they forgot about me. I figured someone has to be on the line, don't they listen to these conversations??? I then decided to follow the instructions to release the door lock - <em>it wouldn't work! </em>I re-read the instructions, tried the door again - <em>it wouldn't open</em>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><em> Crap!</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> I must have waited another ten minutes. Then I saw the deputy with Inmate Smith through the window, the door was unlocked, the guard quickly put the prisoner in his seat, doesn't even look at me, then CLANG! and the door is locked, just me and the inmate. I immediately started looking for the deputy through the window to make sure he was close by, but he was <em>gone</em>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> In an instant, I went into survival mode telling myself this is all good, no problem, everything will be fine, just talk to the guy, explain the legal papers. I wasn't really concern about his behavior, I was just wanted to get out of there and breathe some fresh air.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> The inmate ended up being fine, we talked on the phone, he said he would get an attorney to handle this family law matter, then he knocks on his door and a deputy opens it, lets him out, then CLANG! I</span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">t happened so fast I did not get the deputy's attention to let him know that I tried to get out of the room earlier but the door would not open. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> Now it's pure hell...the door will not release. I am stuck in there. I have no idea how long this goes on for. I try the phone again, stupid me, no one there and no one can see me through the window. I'm in the last room at the end of a hallway...no one is even going to walk by. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><em> Crap!</em> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> I decide to just sit there, I really had no choice. I have no idea how long it was as I really lost track of time. I then hear a CLANK behind and jump out my skin again. I turned, tried the door and realized it was unlocked electronically by one of the deputies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> I slowly walked down the hallway and out the security door. Outside the security door were two lawyers waiting for entry to see their clients (inmates).</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Both lawyers were grinning at me, and I figured they were just being nice. While I am waiting for the elevator I hear a deputy talking through the intercom. I paid no attention, I just wanted out of this place, I was distraught and oblivious. One of the attorneys to got my attention, pointed to the speaker by the locked door and told them the Sheriff is talking to me. I walk up to the speaker, talked into it and said:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> "HEELLLLOOOO...."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> The deputy responded with:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> "ON BEHALF OF THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WE WANT TO PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE FOR LEAVING YOU LOCKED IN THAT ROOM. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SHIFT CHANGE AND THE PREVIOUS SHIFT DID NOT TELL US YOU WERE IN THERE. OUR APOLOGIES." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> I was so flabbergasted, I just stood there for a few seconds. I had no idea what to say so I spat out, "NO PROBLEM." <em>Really Christi, that's all you got???? </em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> Looking back, there was a funny part, actually a hysterical part to this experience: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> Remember the two lawyers? Earlier when I was finally getting on the elevator to get "out of jail", the two lawyers handed me their business cards. They heard what the deputy said over the intercom, and wanted me to call if I had any PTSD symptoms from being falsely imprisoned. They were still smiling, partly because they were funny and trying to make light of the situation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> I just couldn't stop laughing the whole time I was in the elevator and walking out onto the street. I needed that, it processed the whole experience for me. I was over it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> Guess they thought I had a case - I never called them. They were just like the same funny lawyers from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1600199/" target="_blank">Franklin and Bash</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-68767911362821935712017-09-09T18:08:00.001-07:002018-05-31T20:38:15.587-07:00<br />
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<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.85); font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">OWED MONEY? TRY THIS WRITING TIP...NO COLLECTION AGENCY NEEDED.</span></div>
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Please don't waste your time and energy sending invoices and bills to a collection agency. There is really nothing they can do to collect the money that you can't do yourself, and <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 0.975em; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">YOU</em> can be more effective. The endless phone calls to collection agencies to get a status on your billings is met with answering machines where all you do is leave tons of messages - with no returns calls. This leads to a lot of frustration and most of all - results are nil.</div>
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In a previous article, I wrote about suing people in small claims court for money owed to you, mainly stressing the importance of having leverage, if you expect to collect any money (you can read it at www.legworkpi.com.) This new post is about a collections tip for monies owed where you have no leverage, meaning you have no maximum advantage.</div>
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In simple terms, if a guy who owes you money has no assets to lien, or you don't have his bank account to attach a lien, or he has no job or you can't find him, then the guy probably has nothing to lose and doesn't care if his credit is ruined. This means you have no advantage over him. He "could care a less." Remember, these tips are for debts that are not cost-effective for you to take them to court.</div>
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I have collected thousands of dollars by using these simple tips - think these tips won't work after reading this? Try them and let me know. You have probably given up on collecting some of these debts, probably wrote off the debt and filed it away - don't. You have nothing to lose, even on debts that are several years old, so you might as well be flexible on how you are paid back. The only time you should give up on a debt is if a person has passed away or declared bankruptcy. If you think writing a personal note takes too much time for your staff to do, don't believe it, <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 0.975em; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">PEOPLE RESPOND TO COMPASSION.</em></div>
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Don't keep sending bills and final notices to those who owe you money. You know that saying about doing the same thing over and over and over and getting no result? That's insanity. It applies to bill collecting too!</div>
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Write them a personal note, in your own handwriting (or one of your staff writes the letter.) People will open a handwritten personal letter. If they see a regular bill or letter computer-generated with a label, they will just throw it away. If you had a file on the person when they first came to see you as a patient or client, use the information that you have on the person such as their birth-date. I don't use office stationery to write letters, I use greeting cards. Yep, so true. There are birthday cards, thinking of you cards, or just nice blank cards - any of these will work. <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 0.975em; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">People will open greeting cards.</em></div>
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Remember, each person is different, you cannot use a form letter or card. It might take a few cards to get a response so keep trying, like I said you have nothing to lose. Send a card as often as you can. Use nice generic cards if there is no special occasion, and use Thanksgiving and Christmas cards too. Don't mention the money on every card, space this out, but always include a self-addressed stamped envelope.</div>
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Example: Thinking of You card</div>
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Dear Joe,</div>
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Just checking up on you, it's been a while. I know you lost your job last year and was wondering if you were able to find more work? Your bill is only $450.00. If it helps just send in $5.00 when you can. I have enclosed a self-addressed stamped envelope for you so you can write and let us know how you are.</div>
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Sincerely,</div>
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Christi</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 0.975em; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Several patients sent in their $5.00 each month and paid off their debt, even thanking me for being kind and patient. Not only that, but some patients paid a lot more than $5.00!</em></div>
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Example: Happy Birthday card</div>
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Dear Sally,</div>
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Happy Birthday! I hope you have a great day. As a birthday present we are lowering your bill from $500 to $350.00, just send in $5.00 a month. I have enclosed a self-addressed stamped envelope so you can write and tell us how you are doing - we hope well!</div>
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Sincerely,</div>
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Christi</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 0.975em; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This woman came in and paid $350.00! Why? Because we cared..</em></div>
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Example: Happy Thanksgiving card</div>
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Dear Bill,</div>
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I wanted to write wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope things are better for you this year. Since this is the time of giving, we are lowering your bill to only $1200.00 from the original amount of $1500.00. Just send in $5.00 a month when you can. I have enclosed a self-addressed stamped envelope so you can stay in touch.</div>
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Sincerely,</div>
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Christi</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 0.975em; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Believe it or not, this guy inherited some money and paid his bill in full!</em></div>
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Example: Blank colorful card</div>
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Dear Carol,</div>
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It's time to drop you a line again and say hello! What did you think of the offer of only paying $5.00 a month on your bill? Is this something you can afford? Write and let me know what you think of this. If you decide not to write about this, can you write and tell me W<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 0.975em; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HAT WE DID WRONG? </em>We care what every patient thinks of us.</div>
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Thanks,</div>
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Christi</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 0.975em; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This woman wrote back to let us we didn't do anything wrong, and she sent in $50.00 a month until the debt was paid off.</em></div>
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You get the idea? For a few dollars to buy cards and a bit of your time, you can re-establish goodwill with former patients and clients, and get paid!</div>
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Here's my last special tip: WANT TO DOUBLE YOUR BUSINESS INCOME? Make sure all your <u style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">current</u> patients and clients are written to regularly, at least 6 times a year. Ask how they are, ask them a specific question that relates to them that they can answer. "How's the golf game?", "How is the kid doing in college?". You have to keep your name in front of your patients and clients a lot if you want referrals and repeat business.</div>
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If your practice has a huge backlog of collection problems, whether you think they are collectible or not, let me take a look. Remember, you have nothing to lose...</div>
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Christi@legworkpi.com</div>
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Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-4664483299103990002014-12-19T16:28:00.002-08:002017-09-18T12:51:43.010-07:00HOW TO FIND SOMEONE'S EMPLOYER<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The good ole' days - the 90's - when finding someone's employer was easy. When we ran credit header reports, the employer was listed. Not any more. So over the years, PI's and Process Servers had to improvise, coming up with new ways to find an employer. It's not at all easy any more but can be done. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These are my successful actions in finding an employer of a target, defendant or a respondent. I have found the employer every time implementing these actions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every case is different, there is no set way to go about getting employer information. The basic and most important attribute you need is street smarts. A street smart person has a lot of common sense, knows every type of person, understands people and how to act around them. This person knows how to deal with different situations and has his own independent state of mind -</span><span style="color: #2c353c; font-family: "source sans pro" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.39px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">able to switch </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">pretext stories in a second. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I recommend two books that discuss a wide range of cases with bright ideas and websites to use in your profession. These books are:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chuck Chambers, PI - <i>The Private Investigators Handbook</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Link: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Private-Investigator-Handbook-Do-It-Yourself/dp/0399531696" target="_blank">Chuck Chambers, PI</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Valeri McGilvrey - <i>The Most Useful Websites</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Link: <a href="http://thedailyskip.com/tag/valerie-mcgilvrey/" target="_blank">Valeri McGilvrey</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Not to be mundane or talk "down" to you but we need to cover the simple and easy ways to locate an employer. Always do the simplest thing first. Check out all the social media websites, Facebook, Linked In, and the city/county/state business licensing bureaus, etc. The key here is, if a person does not list an employer on his Facebook page, he might list a profession. Then you can check the state licensing boards for that profession and see if he is licensed and who he is working for. That is one idea and has been very successful for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do not underestimate Facebook. One time, I swear to you, I checked a person on Facebook, he did not list any profession BUT in checking his friends list, (he didn't have any privacy settings on his Facebook page), he and I had a friend in common. I contacted our mutual friend, made up a story and found out where the guy worked. My story to our mutual friend was that I was looking for a good insurance agent and thought "Joe" was in the insurance field. The mutual friend stated not insurance, he worked for the State of California. I checked the employee's roster for the State of CA, (this is public information), and there he was listed, he had recently gotten hired. Always check the friends list if you can, you never know.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Keeping it simple - here is another way to find the employer of someone, and I am sure you are aware of this: Follow them. If your client has the budget, use two investigators, two cars and two-way radios. This is a hit and miss as it could take just 2 hours or it could take some time waiting for the guy to leave his house. Most people work at 7 AM, 3 PM and 11 PM. Beat the odds by watching the house prior to these times and see if they leave. I do not sit all day but if by the second day there is no movement, no cars visible or no lights on at night, something is wrong, maybe the person is on vacation. I would then do a drive by at night and not resume a stakeout until you see lights. In the meantime I would also go to the post office and verify the person you want to follow is still living at the house and still receiving mail there. I learn this the hard way one time, I watched the house all day for two days then found out from the post office that the place was vacant and my guy moved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When following targets to their work place, with two cars, has been successful for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You w</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ould think, with all the news about identity theft and protecting ones privacy, that people would be more secure with their documents but some still don't shred their personal data. I have found payroll stubs and employment info in people's garbage - to this day. Chuck Chambers, in his book, covers the art of Dumpster diving. What I can add is this: in certain California counties and maybe in other states, taking ones garbage, even if it is on the street for pick-up, is illegal. California has a lot of problems with the homeless people and recycling guys going through people's trash, so local laws were passed. Here are some different ways that I circumvent this kind of situation:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. I actually call the city or county garbage agency that has jurisdiction over the address I want to get the garbage from. They will tell you what day of the week the garbage is picked up from that address. The agency doesn't ask you any questions, they think you just moved in or something. I tell them: "Where I used to live" we had trouble with homeless going through our garbage, and ask the agency if at this address, is it illegal to dumpster dive. If they say no, you don't need to do anything else, say goodbye and go get the garbage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. If the agency says it is illegal, you have to now switch gears, tell them a story. You already have the day of the pickup, so call the agency back the night before the pickup day. You want to get this conversation on the record as they tape all phone conversations. I tell them this: "I need permission to go through the garbage along this street as I think a wallet was lost in this area and I need to go through the garbage in case someone threw the wallet (or purse) out." The agency will say sure, go ahead and now you have permission. Get the name of the person you spoke to and give him/her your first name. If a neighbor happens to see you and inquires about what you are doing going though garbage cans, tell them the same story about the lost wallet and that you got permission from the city/county They will feel sorry for you and leave you alone. Everyone knows a woman who has left her purse or wallet on top of her car and driven off right? No? Well, that's my story....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At no time did I say "my wallet" or give any specifics, keep your statements general when speaking to these agencies. They have never asked for my name or phone number, so there you go. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. Just knock on the door of the targets neighbor. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is the worst option, (you have to be able to pull off an excellent pretext), but if you do not have access to one's garbage and you have exhausted all other resources and bright ideas, this is what you do - knock on the door of the targets neighbor. Just be upfront, even give them your business card.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">FIRST, make sure your target is not home before you knock on the neighbors door. I usually do this at night time, then I can see if any lights are on at the targets house or a car in the driveway. If there are lights and a car, come back again during the day time to speak to the neighbor - as long as there is no car at the targets house, or speak to the neighbor at night when there are no lights on or car present. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here is my pretext:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The next door neighbor answers the door -- have a little notebook/pen and your ID visible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Hi, sorry to bother you but my name is Christi Losh with LEGWORK (hand them your card) and we are looking for a missing witness for our trial. We understood she/he lived around this neighborhood." I let this statement hang in the air for a moment so I can size the person up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They usually say "um....ok."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then I say:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Two years ago there was an accident down the street, on the corner of Elm & Oak (find a couple of real streets around this address). Use street names that have a busy intersection.This accident involved 2 minor children who were hurt by a hit & run driver and our witness saw the accident, saying the vehicle ran a red light. Our witness was behind the hit & run driver. We thought the case was going to settle a couple of years ago but it didn't so now we are looking for this witness, Joe Smith, we think is his name." Make up a name, not the targets name. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Talk at a medium pace and look relaxed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then I say:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"We thought Joe Smith, like I said, we could have the name wrong, lived next door and worked for Federal Express...is that true, does your neighbor or any neighbor work for Federal Express? The person says, No, the guy next door works for JB Manufacturing but his name is Steve Roberts. (the name of the guy you are actually looking for).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">BOOM, there's your employer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you didn't get the employers name from that neighbor, try another neighbor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Be prepared for anything as there can be variations to this - one time after a neighbor told me my target worked at COSTCO, she insisted on helping me further, so she called my target for me on his cell phone to find out if he knew a Joe Smith that used to live at his place. My target told her no, he didn't know Joe Smith. Kinda funny...get it? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am interested to know the successful actions of others, where they have found employer information. Let's share some of those. </span><br />
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Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-87850122879258765542014-03-31T15:10:00.001-07:002014-09-26T12:33:44.913-07:00THE ATM HEIST<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This story is
about the first legal case I ever worked on. It was the very beginning of my
career, and while I planned on going to law school at night, little did I know
that this experience was going to change my life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">San Diego – 1982<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our law firm was
the attorney of record for a large pizza franchise corporation being sued by a
former corporate employee who supervised all the franchises. This pizza chain
encompassed over hundreds of pizza parlors all over southern California.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pizza
corporation was susceptible to some attack over the years, and they scrambled
to resolve this susceptibility. Previously, they didn't have their hiring
policies fully intact like companies definitely do these days. They didn't regularly perform background checks, or verify social security numbers, or
verify previous employment, and there were errors in how they paid overtime. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To rectify these
errors, management went through every present employee file and cleaned it up,
making sure all pay and benefits were in order. If any past overtime was owed
to an employee, they paid it. Background checks were done as well as making
sure current employees had no ill-will feelings or problems with management. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were at
least 450 <i>former</i> employees who needed
to be located, contacted and their time sheets gone over to correct any errors.
Management was advised to try and track down as many of these former employees
as possible, and resolve any issues that might expose them to future lawsuits –
smart decision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before this
project of locating past employees started, a nasty lawsuit landed on their
door. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This lawsuit was
put into action by one person who was a disgruntled franchise supervisor. This
supervisor worked in the head corporate office for four years and was generally
known to butt heads. You know, the guy no one really gets along with, he is
just tolerated? We all know one of these
types. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Out of nowhere,
the supervisor turns in his resignation, then word is filtering throughout the
corporate offices that he is <i>now</i>
accusing management of not paying overtime to its former employees, citing that
illegal aliens were taken advantage of, and any benefits paid were
discriminatory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As it turned out,
it looks like the main intent of this former franchise supervisor was to expose
as many illegal employment laws as he could, thinking the corporation would
settle with him and he could make a few hundred grand or more. He was a hater
and wanted to hate corporate America. Even when he was working for the company,
he said things about hating corporate America in an unexpressed resentment sort
of way, but again, he was just tolerated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is now going
to cost a bundle, thousands and thousands of dollars for the pizza chain to
prepare its defense <i><u>before</u></i> it
even goes to trial. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I guess what I am
trying to set you up for is how one person can bring upon such financial
hardship and turmoil to a group, a company or another individual, when it comes
to frivolous lawsuits. There are people who just want to find a reason to attack
someone and make a few bucks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But here’s the
good news - IF YOU ARE EVER ATTACKED ON A HUGE SCALE, YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE
THE ATTACKER AND EXPOSE HIS CRIMES AND HIS LIES. You need to go on the
offensive. This works more often than you think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So while the
lawyers are busy defending the pizza corporation with all their pretrial legal
briefs, depositions and motions, the investigative trial division was on the
offensive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The investigators
had their own three part agenda, 1) Investigate this supervisor, expose his
crimes, which will make him back off and drop this lawsuit. 2) Try and locate
every one of the four hundred plus former employees and resolve any possible
outstanding wage or complaint issues. We don’t want the attorneys for the
supervisor to find these employees and depose them. We want to get ahead of any
potential law suits from these former employees and 3) Investigate every pizza franchise
by interviewing all current employees and managers looking for any illegal
situations they might be involved in. We want to make sure we have no further
susceptibility issues at trial, in other words, nothing else the other
attorneys could attack us on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of the above
needs to be done before the trial even gets started. You want to know where you
are weak and what your liabilities are, and fix them quickly. You don’t want
any surprises by the other side when you are actually in trial. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were 12 investigators
to get this agenda done. I was an investigator-in-training and learned that I
had natural abilities for this kind of work. My main job was to work on
locating all the former employees. It took us three to four months to finish
this project. We used the public databases at the city, county and state
agencies to locate people, and good old-fashion street work by visiting old
addresses or relatives. We didn't have the computer technology or the social
media sites that we have today. We actually found two-thirds of them, and
luckily, only a few had issues to resolve. We then had them all sign an affidavit
stating they have no outstanding claims against the pizza chain, no outstanding
ill-will, and have no plans to bring a lawsuit in the future. The former
employees we could not find were actually illegal aliens using stolen social
security numbers. There was no reason to continue to look for them. They have
too much to hide themselves, to even think about suing us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, I worked
with a different group of investigators. We broke up into teams, then visited and
interviewed all the franchise stores’ current employees. We wanted to double
check making sure we had no liabilities with employment law nor did we have employees
we shouldn't have. We reported all of our findings to the corporate office. A
few employees were let go and some quit shortly after we interviewed them. We
had no qualms in telling them why they were being interviewed. Being upfront
with them just expedited the cleaning up process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, to
investigate this supervisor who brought about this lawsuit in the first place,
we had to first, actually investigate our own clients corporate office! We had
to get permission from the attorneys and corporate management to have access
and interview all of the management personnel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were
thirty-five corporate employees. We read every employee’s personnel file, and
then interviewed each of them. The
interviews were extensive but well worth it. We got to know our clients management
ream better and decided that no one else on this team was going to go rouge. Plus,
we got a lot of background information on the supervisor suing us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To each person
interviewed, we asked them an important question having to do with financial
irregularities. We wanted to know if they knew of employees having financial
trouble. Did they borrow money from someone or did others borrow money from
others or was anyone having financial trouble, like losing their house
etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This again is a
touchy subject but you want to know what employees, if any, might be
susceptible and desperate enough to steal from the company. Again, you are just
doing a checklist to make sure the client and the company has no outstanding
legal or unethical situations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After all the
interviews were done, we matched our answers up and two things popped out: 1) Guess
whose name came up four times as having financial trouble? The supervisor suing
us, “Bill”, and 2)Two executives of the management team admitted they would
leave their company ATM cards in their top desk drawers and further admitted
that all the staff knew the pin numbers, in case they needed to buy supplies or
take a client to lunch. They had a huge trust factor in their office. Also, you
have to remember the world was a bit more trustworthy back then. Again, you
wouldn’t see that in today’s business world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After further
investigation it turns out that over time, someone had been using the ATM
cards, getting cash, to a tune of around $15,000.00, not in large withdrawals
at any one time, just enough cash to stay under the radar. Management had a
policy of doing an audit on these ATM bank statements, but with this trial
preparation and stress, they were actually behind on this audit for a long
time. They didn't really know they had a problem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, we went off
our original mission for a bit and focused on who was stealing the money from
the ATM because this might lead us to another liability the company didn't know
it had.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since the pizza
corporation was our client and one of their own was stealing from them, we didn't want to go to the police as yet. We didn't want to expose out client to another
legal situation, and our client might not have a legal case since they allowed
their staff to use the debit cards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It took us days
to go through every bank/ATM statement writing down the date and time of every
ATM transaction, then finding receipts or any paper trail of what this money
was spent on and who used the ATM card. We only recovered a lousy 25%. There
was 75% unaccounted for and it came to around $12,000.00.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After getting
approval from the corporate office, we decided that we would just confront this
head on and go see the President of the bank in question. We told the President
all about our current trial, that as investigators, we were looking at any and all
liabilities our client has and clean them up. We showed him the bank statements
and highlighted the date and times of each ATM transaction that we could not
account for. We gave him the names of three employees who were having financial
trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a dream world,
the bank could just match ATM withdrawals to the deposits of the three
employees, and we’d probably have our man, but we knew the banker could not
give us account information unless we gave him a subpoena, plus we don’t know
where the employees bank. We don’t want to involve any subpoenas at this time
because then we’d have to notify these employees what we were doing, and as
required by law, we’d have to give each employee a copy of the subpoena. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What we wanted
from the bank was this: To take the last ten recent questionable ATM withdrawals,
including the date and time, then match this with the banks security cameras and
verify who was at the ATM at these particular withdrawals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bank realized
they had the authority to release this information because with cameras at
every ATM, no one can legally argue the expectation of privacy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within five days
we had pictures of the person using the ATM at the time of the unauthorized ATM
transactions. It was the Plaintiff, “Bill”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were excited
beyond belief; this turned the whole trial in a new direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Immediately, our
lawyers had a meeting with corporate advising them they were now going to issue
subpoenas and scare the crap out of Bill and his attorneys. They were going to
subpoena “Bill’s” entire banking records including deposits, and since we didn't know which bank “Bill” had his money, ten subpoenas were served on every major
bank and credit union in San Diego. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The kicker was
that we also subpoenaed “Bill” for a deposition so we can ask him under oath if
he made these unauthorized ATM transactions. (Bill doesn't know we know about
the bank ATM pictures). The attorneys want to catch him lying under oath, and then
show him his picture at the bank making withdrawals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The deposition took
place a month or so later. It was absolutely nail-biting waiting to hear what happened.
After four hours, all I remember is attorneys running into our investigative
office and yelling that they had won the case, they were thrilled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It turned out that
after the Attorneys started asking “Bill” about the ATM transactions, “Bill”
was starting to get real uneasy and then his attorneys starting wondering why “Bill”
was acting uncomfortable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Bill” and his
attorneys had no idea we even knew about these ATM heists, they thought we
were there to discuss “Bill’s” bank accounts. This was an excellent ploy on our
part.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our Attorneys said
that during the deposition, they only asked a few questions regarding the ATM
transactions, when suddenly “Bill” and his Attorneys took a break - one and
half hour break - to “talk" to their client.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the
deposition resumed, the only thing discussed was the Attorneys for “Bill”
stating they have decided to withdraw the law suit. The Attorneys gave no
reason why, we knew why but did not ask, we didn't care, and knew we won. The
next two hours were taken up by discussing how to word the legal documents to dismiss
this case, who is going to file the dismissal with the court and any other
loose ends. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The entire legal
crew celebrated the victory with our clients the following Friday night with
dinner and drinks. The clients paid for the entire celebration. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then one of the investigators
asked if I wanted to work for him on upcoming legal trials they had on their
calendar. Then it hit me, this was where I belonged, working on defense legal
trials. At that moment, my career started and never had any doubts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-53677673031521542102013-07-06T10:35:00.001-07:002013-09-08T10:01:14.583-07:00MY VEHICLE WAS HERE A MINUTE AGO...<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It was a brutally cold winter in Forest Hill, CA @ 5 AM, sitting parked down a hill out of sight from other vehicles and trying to stay warm. What was I thinking? Freezing temperatures, my hands were numb. Forest Hill isn't exactly close to a warm Starbucks. While I am sitting waiting for a certain vehicle to come down the hill, I will catch you up on the story.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> A few years back there used to be vehicle broker companies (<em>a bright idea turned out not so bright)</em> that would broker your extra vehicle. Let's say you have a vehicle you no longer need, you can't sell it for what you owe on it and you no longer want to make the payments. Well, call up Joe's Vehicle Broker Company and he'll hook you up with someone who needs a vehicle, then this person takes your vehicle and gets their own insurance on it. This person then sends you the payment every month. Contracts were signed and the brokers were suppose to get back the vehicle if the person did not make their payments. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> In my client's case, she was receiving the payments every month for almost a year, then all of a sudden in the spring of 2007, the payments started being late and eventually no payments. My client, Catherine, did speak to Debbie stating she would be late for October but would make a double payment in November.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Debbie also stated she'd lost her job so she and her twins had to move in with her parents. Debbie was warned that Catherine would have to take the vehicle back if some money was not received soon. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> No payments came in November, December or January and </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Debbie's cell phone was now disconnected. We had no physical address for her. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> So now it's time to just take the vehicle back but where is it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Catherine thought she'd go see the vehicle brokers in Citrus Heights, CA, and get their help. She pulls up to the office and finds the brokers business closed up, office empty, no one around, just gone. The businesses around this area the had no information on where they went. Now she has no broker or protection. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Law Enforcement does not get involved in matters like this, the pink slip is still in Catherine's name so my client can take back the vehicle at any time. The vehicle isn't <em>technically</em> stolen by Debbie as the 911 supervisor says, so they aren't going to assist us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Well, the coppers didn't get the message from the 911 operator, as you will later read. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> The trick first of all was finding out where Debbie lived or actually where her father lived. Catherine had kept track of all the phone numbers Debbie had previously called her from. With this information, I located the father's home, and prior to me freezing my butt off, I had driven by the property and saw the vehicle I wanted in the driveway.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> There were problems with this scenario even though I had a key to the vehicle. The property was off the main road about 1/4 mile, no neighbors and dogs, lots of dogs, and let's not forget the sign that says, "Trespassers will be shot". I 'd say my chances of survival by walking up the driveway to steal the vehicle was 100 to 0 in favor of dying so I liked plan B better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Also, on this particular job I had to have the client with me as she is the registered owner so if I get stopped by the cops after taking the vehicle, she'll be there to verify ownership.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I decided I would wait until Debbie left early for work and follow her. Then when she arrives at work and goes inside, I will use my key and take the vehicle. I had no idea where she worked but I would soon find out. She wouldn't know her vehicle was missing until at least lunchtime.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> To my surprise, @ 7:30 AM, when I saw Debbie come down the road and stop at a stop sign, she had two children in car seats. This is going complicate the situation a bit, but would deal with that as this played out. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Debbie makes a left at the stop sign and starts going down Folsom-Auburn Boulevard. This winding 2-lane road goes all the way to the town of Folsom. She could of gotten on the freeway, gone west, then east on Hwy 50 to Folsom but she decided to take the back way. We followed her for a few miles down the back road and all of a sudden she pulls over. Maybe she was dropping off the kids at the babysitter but as it turned out, she had to do something with the kids in the backseat. I was shocked that she had not realized I pulled over too. She never even noticed, which I guess is plausible since she had all her attention on something or someone in the back seat. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Debbie then keeps driving for several miles towards Folsom. There were several towns she could of worked in but she passed them all up and entered the town of Folsom. I followed her through neighborhoods and then to a business district, thinking maybe she has a day care center where she works - not the case, in the middle of the business district there is a day care center, a name that belongs to a huge chain of day care centers, and she pulls into it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Now it's 8:45 AM, not only does she pull into a parking spot right near the front door, she gets out, collects the kids and their stuff, then walks into the center. <em>She leaves the vehicle running with all of her keys in the ignition, leaves her purse, the car seats and everything else!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Since she left the vehicle running, she wasn't going to be very long so I had to jump out of my vehicle and start walking kind of fast towards the vehicle door keeping my eyes peeled on the day care front door in case she came out. I did not want a confrontation, no reason to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">get into it with her, didn't want anyone calling the coppers, I just wanted the vehicle. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I made it to the driver side door, hopped in using the keys that were in the ignition, put it in reverse, backed out and drove off quickly. I had to hide the vehicle because like I said earlier, sometimes the cops shoot first and ask questions later, and even though I warned them over and over that I was taking the vehicle, I could not trust them not be trigger happy. From other stories I have written, you can see how cops can be jumpy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I drove the vehicle to a location nearby where it couldn't be found for quite a while. My client followed me driving my vehicle. When we parked, we then cleaned out the entire vehicle (van). It was really a mess, children's stuff such as clothes, blankets, diapers, food wrappers, all in disarray. We packed all the valuable things in a bag throwing out all the garbage. We put Debbie's purse, car keys and her personal items in a separate bag. When I was packing her personal stuff in her purse, her work ID fell out, so I now knew where she worked. I put that back in her purse loading up everything else including the children's car seats and put it all in my vehicle. This took us about an hour or so. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> We left the van parked in it's safe place and around 10:30 AM, headed back to the day care center to return all of Debbie's belongings. When we got close, I could hear sirens, not one police siren but several. With so many police vehicles and sirens I knew right away that Debbie not only called 911 to report "her vehicle" stolen but acted like a victim and mentioned her children, and that her car seats and purse had been stolen. All you have to do is mentioned the word <em>children</em> and a lot of law enforcement get involved. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> When I got around the corner of the day care center, I saw all the police cars, two parked in front of the day care center and others driving around. I thought it best to sit at the <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/" target="_blank">Starbucks </a>next door and call the 911 operators. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">There were even people who came out of Starbucks to see what the heck was going on. But I remained quiet and didn't engage in any conversations. One person asked me what was going on and I replied "I have no idea". After we were alone outside, we called 911.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> My client explained to the operator that we had called in yesterday to the Sheriff's Department of two counties and police stations for two different towns in the Sacramento area. It was re-iterated what time we called them yesterday, also giving them the vehicle license plate number, who the registered owner is, and that we were taking the vehicle back today. After some minutes on hold, waiting, then suddenly we heard all the sirens go off and ta few minutes later he police left the day care center. I guess the 911 dispatch supervisor found our notes from yesterday and called off the posse. When the operator came back on the line she stated they have closed this matter and will do nothing further.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> We waited a while to calm our nerves, actually got something to eat, then around 12 PM drove my vehicle next door to the day care center. We unloaded the car seats and Debbie's box of personal items, went inside, telling the day care staff we were dropping off her stuff. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I thought we were going to walk in and the staff would immediately call the police - <em>again</em>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> What happened next was hilarious! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span style="color: black;"> One of the day care staff sees that we have the car seats and a box, then says, "OH, you must be her mother!"</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> I said, "No".</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">She said, "Oh, you are the friend she called. Debbie left with her father but thank you so much for bringing an extra set of car seats and stuff for the children!". (She didn't see the purse in the box).</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> I said, "Sure!" and left. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I guess they didn't figure whoever stole "her vehicle" would be brave enough to return the car seats - so to them, I must have been Debbie's mother. Too funny. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> After driving back to the place where we hid my clients vehicle (van), she then drove it home back to Sacramento. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> The next thing is even more hilarious!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> When Catherine arrived home she found out that Debbie and her father had been there at the house - looking for her! Unbelievable, they want the van back!. That was the message left at the door and on the message machine there were several calls from Debbie. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I am sure the police told Debbie that Catherine legally took her vehicle back and they could not help her, so she was really pissed off. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Catherine spoke to Debbie on the phone trying to drive some sense into her,<em> it's</em> <em>my car-you didn't pay-I took my car back etc. </em>But before Debbie slammed the phone down, she <span style="color: black;">said, "I'm going to sue you!"</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> At this point Catherine ignored her and her threat, forgetting about this chick. A few weeks go by and <em>a process server shows up at Catherine's door.</em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Debbie is suing Catherine in small claims court! She wants <em>"</em>her vehicle<em>"</em> back!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Of all my years of doing this work, this has got to be the stupidest chick I have ever encountered. I bet she thinks a Judge is going to feel sorry for her. To her it's worth a try. She's desperate but at the same time - <em>really</em>???</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Now, Debbie got herself in a worse situation because I am going to submit my bill to the court for $800 and get the Judge to make her pay it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> The court hearing was attended by my client, Catherine and myself. She had all her paperwork, registration, contract with Debbie and even my bill for repossessing the car. We scripted our version so that Catherine would explain the situation in a few words. She did and then it was Debbie's turn to speak to the Judge. Just as I thought, she went on and on about how she was a victim, how we took back "her vehicle" and all Catherine should of done was "call her". She stated she needed this vehicle to drive to work and daycare, that she can't get a vehicle loan due to her financial issues and still says she wants Catherine to give the vehicle back!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> The Judge asked Catherine for information on her actual phone bills listing all the phone calls made to Debbie, with dates and times during the 6 or so months she was trying to get Debbie to return the vehicle. When the Judge queried Debbie on this, it was obvious to him that Debbie had plenty of time to take care of this matter and didn't. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Catherine won this case and weeks later I was shocked when I received a check for $800 from Debbie's parents. We never heard from Debbie again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;"> Moral of the story: When faced with any legal situation or one such as Debbie, look at the law or hire a lawyer or do your own research. Do not succumb to your emotions and let them run your actions - you will lose. Face it head-on and resolved it fast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-78240488676319402582013-02-15T11:12:00.000-08:002013-09-08T10:04:23.672-07:00LEVERAGE <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ <span style="color: red;">written with Trudy Harris ~</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In October 2008, Trudy and I came upon a situation that required either an act of god (which wasn't going to happen with this guy) or death by being an idiot (which could happen).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> A very wealthy man by the name of George Miller, living in Northern California, had previously lost a legal case where he was the defendant, and as a result, a Judgment was entered against him - for a whopping $225,000.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> A Judgment can be a serious matter. What normally happens when there is a Judgment against you, someone wants to collect it. Someone wants their $250,000 right? Of course.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Let me side track for a minute - it amazes me how many people think that if they take someone to Small Claims court and get a Judgment against someone who owes them money, that the court is going to help them (you) get their money, or arrest the person, or collect the money for them (you). This is not true and let me save you a lot of time and money here. You should only take someone to Small Claims court if, and only if, they have a lot to lose, in other words you need LEVERAGE. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Have you ever experienced the hassle and annoyance working with Small Claims court? They opened Small Claims courthouses for people who are owed $5000 or less, to unburden the Superior Court, the main courthouse, with these smaller financial matters. The</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> court is not your friend. The laws are in favor of the defendant. Please you keep your expectations very low and you won't get so frustrated. The $225,000 Judgment against the guy mentioned above was issued by the Superior Court as it's over $5000.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Still side tracking here...people such as yourself spend your hard earned money on Small Claims court fees and process servers, all the while thinking the court is going to have your back. Not true. The best you can hope for is that the person pays up before the hearing, and if he does, you lucked out. This is a rare occurrence. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> If the defendant didn't pay you and he doesn't show up for the court hearing, and/or the papers were not served right (that's a whole other story, don't get me started), you have to start all over. If the defendant was served correctly and you get a Judgment, so what? You still have to collect the money yourself. All a Judgment means is that a court says someone owes you money - that's it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I don't mean to be mean or sound real harsh about the Small Claims court itself, but I have seen so many people disappointment when they thought just because they have a Judgment, that they are going to get money. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">If the person who owes you money doesn't own a home or you can't find him or does not have a job or has gone out of business, you have no LEVERAGE. The courts do not assist you with finding anyone or help you collect any money. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> If all you have is a hope and a prayer the guy's going to pay you, take the loss and move on. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> If you can't move on, what you <u>can</u> do is file more paperwork with the court and the county recorder, pay more fees, and put a lien on his name with the County Recorder and the Secretary of State. This means if the person ever tries to buy or sell something of huge value, the Lien will come up and he'll have to pay you off (after the tax men get their money first though). I'm not talking about a person selling a car or small items. But things like a loan, buying a house, or buying cattle or a ranch, any kind of asset that requires due diligence and an escrow company. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> A Lien could be a good idea, sometimes it gives you closure. It is just like these deadbeats to win the Lottery. Did you know when a person wins the Lottery all Liens and Judgments are checked under the winner's name and if he/she has any Liens or Judgments, these debts get paid first before the winner gets any money? Might be worth filing a Lien just in case.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> There are millions of dollars in Judgments out there that people such as yourself can't collect, as the person who owes you the money had nothing to lose, he doesn't care if his credit is ruined or that you filed a Lien against him for not paying you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> So back to good ole' George...what happened here is that his house went into escrow and the person he owed the $250,000 to, failed to file a Lien. Now the client and her lawyers had to run to court to obtain an Injunction that will stop George from disbursing money and hiding it once escrow closed, which was any day. George somehow figured that he was free and clear on not paying this debt because the person he owed the money to didn't know he was selling the home - <em>or so he thought until we showed up.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> When Trudy and I showed up at his house to serve him the Injunction, all we got was a screen door with music playing through it. After knocking for several minutes</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and calling out his name explaining why we were there, he would not come to the door. A while later, his garage door flew up, he sped out of the driveway in his brand new Mercedes, drives over his lawn and his trash can, then freaks out when he almost ran Trudy over. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Serving an Injunction is serious business so we expected to have trouble. People do some crazy things when they have a lot to lose. He's going to make $300,000 on the house and we are going to take $250,000 of it - he's desperate. <em>It's inevitable he's going to pay, he just wants to act a little nuts for a while.</em> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> So now we have to push the LEVERAGE button. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> LEVERAGE is the "action" that you do which in return causes <em>fear</em> or <em>discomfort</em> for the person you are trying to control<em>.</em> You have to come up with a scenario that is going to cause this guy to cooperate. In this case, his house is in escrow so this means there is a buyer involved right? I bet the buyer is driving by from time to time until escrow closes in anticipation of moving in and dreaming of what upgrades etc. they could make. But what if they drive by and see copies of the court order pasted all over the property? What would the buyer think if they read a copy? This would alarm them, maybe feel like their escrow could be in danger of not closing. I think our guy would definitely not want this to happen, nor would he want the buyers to drive by and read this document.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> So, we thought we'd give this guy one more crack at cooperating. We arrived at his house again the following day, Halloween actually, early in the morning with a bunch of copies of the Injunction and Court Order. We warned him nicely by yelling through his front door that we would be leaving several copies of the documents in his yard, patio and garden. He called our bluff and wouldn't answer the door, the louder we knocked, the louder he turned up his stereo. We told him we would return at 7 PM so we could personally serve him. We left a business card on his front door. We then plastered copies of these documents all over his front door, garage door, his bushes, his mailbox, his planters under his windows, just enough to make a statement. We'd were hoping he'd look out his window, see us doing this, and come out and settle the matter, but nope, he's still in denial. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> So at 7 PM, it was Halloween night. Trudy happened to be dressed in an Elf costume (she was taking her grandkids trick or treating later). Upon arrival at his place we saw that all the papers were gone from his lawn and porch. Trudy-the-Elf caught George off guard, he thought she was a trick or treater, she handed him the papers. George showed a kind of resignation attitude but with a bit of anger about spewing the papers all over his property, but we knew he wasn't going to give us any more trouble. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Our client ended up getting the $250,000 owed to her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Use LEVERAGE when serving papers, as long as it's legal. Trudy was pretty funny looking in her Elf costume, but you wouldn't believe the costumes and outfits Trudy has used to serve people, it's a real kick and there is no one else better at it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><em></em></span><br />Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-1504226682271830992012-11-23T13:57:00.002-08:002013-09-08T10:07:51.829-07:00LET'S STEAL A BRAND NEW LANDROVER!<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Yep, I did steal a brand new Land Rover. What a beautiful ride. The things I do for money. <em>Do not attempt this unless you have a lot of experience with law enforcement. </em> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> It's not my fault people can't get along...I just go where the market takes me. It was Christmas week 2008. A guy calls me from...ah, well, I am changing the state here, so let's say he called from Utah and his name is Gary. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">His attorney told him to call as he knows an attorney I work for in Sacramento.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Gary travels for business and recently came home to Roseville and found his rental house empty, his stuff gone including his brand new Land Rover. He just talk to his wife, Cindy, earlier that week and he had no idea she'd been planning on splitting. Now, she won't return his calls and he has no idea where she went. Her relatives won't talk to him either. She just did a bunk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Since Gary traveled for work and was usually gone for one to two weeks, he figured she had plenty of time on her hands to plan this move. He had been suspecting she was having an affair for quite some time and this solidified it for him. <em>Really dude?</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Which reminds me people:<em> If you think someone is having an affair, they are, they always are.</em> No need to hire a PI, save your money and hire a divorce attorney. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Gary then returned to the house he actually owned in Utah and hired an attorney. He still could not reach his wife, he wanted to get his Land Rover back. He made several calls to the Roseville City Police, Placer County Sheriff's, the California Highway Patrol and called tons of Repossession Companies - Repo Guys. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Get this: the Repo Guys would not help him locate his Land Rover because they don't work for individuals - they only work for bank and financial companies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Get this #2: The Placer City Police told him since the Land Rover was taken from his street that's in the County, he had to call the Sheriff's for help.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Get this #3: The Placer County Sheriff's would not help him, they do not get involved in domestic or family squabbles unless guns or beatings are involved. When he told the Sheriff's that the Land Rover was in his name <em>only - </em>they still said NO. Same for the CHP.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Gary found out from his attorney that I am somewhat of a Maverick. He asked if I'd be willing to take this on. I thought for a moment, then decided sure, let's test my skill and hell, I've never been arrested or incarcerated, <em>well actually I have, that's for another story...stay tuned.</em> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Gary was willing to pay me any amount to get his vehicle back and I needed Christmas money so it seemed a win-win. The first thing I had to do was find Cindy's whereabouts and find the Land Rover...how I found her is a trade secret - the silly chick made a simple mistake. </span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Here's where it gets tricky. What will the police or sheriff's do to me when Cindy reports the Land Rover stolen? Shoot me and ask questions later? Chase me down in the vehicle throwing nails on the freeway, then arrest me and take me to jail? I picture myself driving the Land Rover down Freeway 80, then all of a sudden looking up at the Amber Alert flashing sign - there I am...seeing the Land Rover's license plate and description, (they really don't use Amber Alert for this) but all of these senarios seemed a bit nerve racking as I had no idea what the police would do. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I had an extra car key, as well as a copy of the pink slip and insurance card from Gary, but still, once Cindy sees the vehicle driving off, or her new boyfriend sees me, they are gonna call and report it stolen. Cindy might be too dumb to realize maybe Gary came and got it. We'll see.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Then the simplest thing came to me, why don't I just call the police/sheriff's telling them I am going to take the Land Rover? It is not in Cindy's name anyway, how could this be illegal? I'll just give the 911 operators my name, my CDL number, what address I am taking the vehicle from, it's license plate number, the date and time I am going to take the Land Rover and the address I am taking the vehicle to for safe keeping. This way, when Cindy calls 911, the operators will have all the information on file, and they will tell her, "Sorry, the vehicle is not in your name and we don't get involved in domestic disputes". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> The vehicle was located at a residence in Placer County and is under the Placer County Sheriff's jurisdiction. BUT first I visited all of agencies giving them copies of the registration, my CDL and business card. I went to the police, the Sheriff's and the CHP because I could not trust these agencies to be on the same page, thus stepping on each other's jurisdiction and I'd have three agencies on my ass. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Christmas Eve, in Roseville, while driving down the street, I spot the Land Rover from before when I did a drive by. It was just sitting there in front of the house, so I drive by the Land Rover two or three times getting a feel for my exit strategy after I steal the vehicle. In the front bay window of this house there she is, Cindy's on the treadmill and she will probably see me drive away...oh well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> My associate drops me off at the end of the street, I have the key in my hand and I start walking towards the Land Rover, just "meandering" down the street watching for neighbors or any activity that might distract me. As I am walking by the Land Rover on the drivers side, I notice out of the corner of my eye that Cindy is still running on the treadmill, looking down like she is reading something. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I stand still by the drivers door for a few seconds, to gain composure and make sure everything around me is quiet, no other vehicle noise, especially no one driving down the street like maybe <em>Mr. Boyfriend. </em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I put the key in the door, open it just enough to get it, I am freaking out, this is a brand new vehicle, so many damn knobs, lights, gadgets and the seat was way back, how do I adjust this damn thing? I decided to screw it, just sit up, start the thing and drive, so off I go. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> My associate is following me as I have to drive 5 miles on main roads through Roseville to the Sheriff' s substation. I have tons of traffic lights, most of them <em>red </em>of course, never fails huh?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I just concentrate on driving, not thinking about the possibility of copper's blaring their red lights or sirens. I swear two Sheriff's vehicles passed me going the other way on a side road and I almost needed an oxygen tank. I got my heart rate back to normal by taking slow deep breathes, then 10 minutes later pulled into the Sheriff's substation and parked. I got out of the vehicle, then walked next door to a Starbucks in the same shopping center, bought a mocha, sat outside and kept watch on the Land Rover. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> After thirty or forty minutes, I then decided to find out if the </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Land Rover was reported stolen, so I walked back to the Sheriff's substation. Usually at these substations I find older people, in their 70's, who volunteer their time, taking police reports etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I told them my name, pointed towards the Land Rover that is sitting outside, right in front of their station window, and told them this is the vehicle I just stole. You should have seen their faces, I thought one of them was going to stroke out. They all get up from their desks and came to the counter to talk to me. I told them I had visited all the agencies earlier in the week giving them a heads-up, that on this date and time I was going to bring this vehicle here. I explained the whole scenario about the police not helping my client, and that he has every right to take his Land Rover back. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> A couple of Sheriff volunteer's said they had to make phone calls to find out if the vehicle was reported stolen. I gave them my cell number, telling them I am right next door waiting at Starbucks. I also made it clear that I will wait 30 minutes, then take the vehicle home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I had to find out if Cindy reported it stolen because I still had twenty miles of freeway to drive home, and I didn't want anyone chasing me down. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> A few minutes later, one of the volunteer's found me saying one of the 911 operators wants to speak to me. I go back in the substation and speak with the woman on the phone. She stated Cindy did report the vehicle stolen, and two Sheriff's were dispatched, and what in the hell was I doing????? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I explained all over again about calling and visiting the Roseville police, the Sheriff's and CHP a week earlier giving all agencies a copy of the registration and a copy of my CDL, letting them know that my client is the only registered owner of the vehicle. She then put me on hold for god-knows-how-long, and when she returned she stated the Commander found the documents I dropped off and he called Cindy. The Commander told Cindy she is on her own, that this is a domestic (family) issue, that she is not the registered owner so therefore, Gary can take his vehicle back, and she had no rights except via the court system. Then the 911 operator told me she called off the Sheriff's dispatch. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I drove the Land Rover back to my place, kept it for a few days until the client returned from Utah to drive it back. And, I got to buy a lot of cool Christmas presents.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Moral of the Story: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><em> Don't take things that don't belong to you.</em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Oh... and another Moral: <em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><em> If you think your significant other is cheating, he or she is - don't go into denial, unless you're on PROSAC, then who knows what you're thinking. </em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-51445546318050764722012-10-01T10:31:00.000-07:002013-09-08T10:10:24.090-07:00A QUICK NOTE ON CELEBRITIES<span id="internal-source-marker_0.16371926430434858" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I have served my share of celebrity’s over the years, and it’s true, celebrity's do try to live normal lives and do have their own crap to deal with, so I make it a policy never to discuss details of serving them or even who I’ve served. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> No need for bragging to your friends or other associates as I respect a celebrity’s privacy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The easiest way to contact and serve a celebrity is by giving them a heads up via their agent or publicist. You can find this information on the Screen Actors Guild website. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I find that just simply being upfront with them about the lawsuit (as they usually know they might be served anyway), the agent and/or publicist always cooperate. They sometimes allow me to personally meet and serve their client, or refer me to their Attorneys. It might take a few days as the agent has to make phone calls, probably contacting their Attorneys, or coordinating with other agents, or they are talking to the celebrity themselves, but they always follow through.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> One time, I learned a very valuable lesson about dealing with people in this job, that to this day, I have never forgot. I still think about this lesson from time to time when the same type of situation comes up.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> What I can tell you is this: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> A few years ago, I received a phone call and the phone number was "restricted". When I answered the phone I instantly recognized the voice, it sounded familiar but I couldn't place it AND this person gave me a name that was common like Susie Smith or something, so I kind of got confused between the name and the voice. Oh well, I thought, not important - <em>at the time. </em>I did not ask this person how they were referred to me, but found out sometime later. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> This person wanted me to deliver a simple but important message to an aviation pilot who was not contactable through regular channels. I received a Federal Express package the next day and was told not to open it, just deliver it and ask no questions.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I thought to myself, "Jeez, what's with all the secrecy and stuff going on here, they could just hire some messenger company to deliver this. I got better things to do, but oh well, it's their dime". </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> My assignment was to drive to a particular airport, be there at 3 AM on the flight deck, meet a "security guy" (who was expecting me), then this "security guy" was going to take me through more security, then I get to see the aviation pilot. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I figured it was all on the up and up since it was an airport, with Home Land Security and lots of Sheriff's so off I went. I arrived at the flight area, the security guy, a real one, was waiting for me and off to the side I saw two men with black suits, white ties, ear plugs on and wearing dark sunglasses. I started to get a bit nervous - then the "suit men" took me out to one of the hangers, and when I saw the pilot, in a flight suit, walking up to me, it all came to me - the voice, the secrecy with the original phone call - he looked just like this celebrity I know. Then one of the security guys said to him, "Your Mom's package is here".</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The pilot opened the envelope and reads the letter and when he is done, he looks at me and says, "Thank you, you have no idea how much this means to me". Then the "suits" took the pilot and walked to another part of the hangar. The security guy then escorted me back out to the public area and I left the airport.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The lesson learned is that regardless of any phone call or job you get, don't assume anything. Treat every person as though the job they hire you for, no matter what, is <em>important to them, </em>and that some <em>simple tasks</em> can have a huge impact on someone's life - as in this case.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I never did know what the letter said or why it had to be hand delivered. It will always be a mystery to me. BUT the next day I got a phone call from the celebrity and her agent thanking me and that it also meant a lot to them.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I also realized that this celebrity hired my profession (me) for this simple task because it guaranteed the utmost discretion.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Lesson learned.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span>Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-57769804856761543042012-09-27T08:42:00.002-07:002013-09-08T10:13:12.535-07:00STUPID REALLY IS AS STUPID DOES<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Legwork received an assignment in March 2008, to effect
service of a Deposition Subpoena on Ricky Hutchinson, last known to live with
his parents in Northern California. The deposition was set to take place in a
month, at the office of a court reporting agency in Sacramento.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The reason we want to take Hutchinson’s deposition is that
on his very first day of employment with a car dealership (also fired the first
day after this incident), he allowed a young female, a minor, to test drive a
brand new 2009 vehicle, and during this test drive this minor female caused a
collision by broad-siding another vehicle, a woman in a brand new BMW. No
injuries by any parties, just vehicle damage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The BMW woman hires an attorney and sues the female minor
and the car dealership. I am working for the defense. This minor is covered
under her mother’s vehicle insurance policy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In taking Hutchinson’s deposition, it can be determined
exactly what happened, ascertain our real liability for settlement issues, and
to determine liability on the part of Hutchinson or the dealership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Sounds simple enough, this is what insurance is for,
accidents do happen and this is not a catastrophic situation, just a simple
legal routine, get the facts, write a check and settle this thing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> As far as the dealership – their lawyers deny any liability
stating it’s not their fault “stupid employees allow minors to test drive new
vehicles”. The lawyers pretty much say this using legalese in their pleadings.
Ricky Hutchinson states he was never told this specific policy by any
management at the dealership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I originally figured that serving this subpoena on
Hutchinson was going to be a slam dunk because he was not an actual defendant
(only the dealership was named in the lawsuit) and he was going to be a
nice-honest-young-responsible adult who will want to assist everyone in
settling this matter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> So I thought.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Ricky Hutchinson, 21 years old, appears to be living in a
high-end neighborhood of Sacramento, living with his parents.
I visit the parent’s residence and no one was home, there was a scooped up nice
sports car out front, but that’s all. I leave this residence for now and go
be-bopping into the dealership where Ricky used to work. I have no intention of
talking to any management personnel as they are being sued, and they wouldn’t
talk to me anyway. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The idea here is to find some young salesman or mechanic,
who WILL talk</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, and just ask them if they know where Hutchinson is working now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I walked around the dealership, without any legal papers in
my hand as I am just there to get some information. Outside walking around the car lot I find one of the salesman named Rob, and in speaking to him, I find out he is Ricky’s brother-in-law. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Rob stated Ricky is not working now, is going to college,
recently got married, and he is now living down the street from his parents,
but he had no idea what his address was. Rob was willing to give me Ricky’s cell
phone number, and after jotting this down, I left quickly before the dealership
management got wind of what I was doing there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few minutes later, I called Ricky on his cell phone (still
thinking this was going to be a slam-dunk). He answered his cell all upbeat but
as soon as I told him who I was and what the deposition was about, man, was he
hostile. He just started yelling and using profanities, more or less stating
it’s all the dealership’s fault for not telling him minors could not take test
drives in their vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was talking
so fast it was hard to keep up with him; he went on and on about it being his
first day on the job and this was bullshit. I tried to calm him down but he was
just being a little prick. I told him that as a witness, we needed to take his
deposition to resolve the case so everyone can go on with their lives. He
remained hostile the whole time so I had to end the conversation by telling him
he can accept this subpoena the easy way or the hard way. He said, “not my
problem” and hung up on me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But it is his problem.<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I didn’t have his new apartment address, so for a week after
this cell phone conversation, I made attempts at the parent’s house and there
never was a response, even with vehicles in the driveway. I figured Ricky told
his parents I was after him so they decided to support their arrogant son and
refuse to answer the door. I just kept going back to send a message to his
parents - I wasn’t giving up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I needed to verify if Ricky and his new wife actually lived
with his parents or live in their own place. By submitting an address request
from the post office, we learned the post office had no new address. As his
brother-in-law stated, Ricky lived down the street from his parents, but you
never know who’s lying so checking out every detail is crucial and lessens your
chances of getting jacked around. Confidential databases were consulted showing
that Ricky listed no new address as yet, only his parent’s address. Ricky’s
cell phone number was also traced showing this to be under his father’s name
and address, so no luck there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Since we were getting no response from the only address we
had, we had to search other ways to find him. Social sites were searched such
as Facebook, My Life, Classmates and My Space. I was glad to find a little
information; Ricky and his wife were found on My Space. They were married on
January 19, 2008; both attend college and are members of some school
associations. The site said they recently visited Europe after they married,
and as an added bonus, there was a picture of both of them so at least now we
had physical descriptions for them. Some actions were taken in locating Ricky
and his wife on campus but this did not work so another plan was needed. </span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I continued to leave nice phone messages for Ricky on his
cell just so he knew this is not over. I told him he needed to be a standup guy
and call me. This resulted in no return calls, which I expected. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Sub-Rosa and stakeouts were now necessary. I tried the nice
and simple way but it was time to up the ante. First, I staked out his parent’s
house on a nice early morning, sitting in my vehicle from 7:00 AM to 11:30 AM,
watching and getting an idea of who comes and goes when at 8:30 AM, I observed
the mother leave for work in her BMW SUV. Then a while later, I observed a
female, not Ricky’s wife, but maybe a sister, leave the house with school books
and drive off in her vehicle. At no time did we see Ricky or his wife. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> During this time I observed neighbors watching me, so I told
them what I was doing, just being upfront as this avoids them calling the
police reporting “suspicious behavior”. As it turns out, these neighbors had
run-ins with the Hutchinson family over the years, and did not care for them.
They also had not seen Ricky in a while. I concluded at this point that Ricky
definitely did not live with his parents</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Now it was time to put our second plan into action, and
there is no one better at Sub-Rosa than Trudy Harris, an associate of mine. We
needed to find out where Ricky lived, and since the parents would recognize me,
(previously seeing me when they peeked out the windows when I knocked on their
door), Trudy was the perfect person for this Sub-Rosa role. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> One evening watching the house and making sure the
Hutchinson family was home, Trudy knocked on their residence door @ 8:30 PM,
with belated “wedding flowers”. To our luck, Ricky’s sister answered the door
ONLY seeing the flowers through a peephole. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Just so you know, I am not an advocate of “delivering
flowers” every time in situations such as this, nor am I in favor of delivering
pizza or packages either. In these times, people are very suspicious, and if
they even have a hint that process server is after them, this kind of action
will not work. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> It did work in this case because it was 100% believable Ricky
would receive belated wedding flowers. If you know you’ll get a 100% result, by
all means use this ploy. <o:p></o:p></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The sister actually invited Trudy into the house! After
explaining we have flowers for Ricky and his wife, and “no, we don’t know who
sent them, we don’t read the cards, we just deliver them” speech, the
sister calls Ricky on his cell, stating someone was here at the house to give
him some flowers. Ricky told his sister to give us his address, which she did.
Yeah!</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Ricky and his wife live one block from his parent’s in an
apartment complex. After punching in the gate code (this is a trade secret, I
have all the gate codes), we arrived at the apartment of Ricky and his wife,
and when he answers the door, he is very pleasant. When he was informed that he
was also served with the subpoena (which was in the card attached to the
flowers), he immediately was stunned and just stood there, yelling while Trudy
walked away. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> He should of chosen the simple way.</em> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Ricky Hutchinson did show up for his deposition but he was
fired-up. He told the lawyers during the deposition that , 1) I was a liar, 2) I
never left him any messages, 3) That he would have cooperated if I gave him the
chance and 4) He kept stating this accident wasn’t his fault and he still
doesn’t want to be involved. Ricky was making a last ditch effort to be right
and if lying does that for him, fine, at least we prevailed in finding him and
getting his statement on the record - which was the point. If you give someone
a choice as to whether they want to be served the easy way or the hard way, and
they choose the hard way, this is the result, which is what you were hired to
do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-23217104418271968442012-07-30T13:59:00.004-07:002013-09-08T10:16:26.670-07:00PSYCHO SUZI<span id="internal-source-marker_0.9764358264461218" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The names in this case </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">really</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> are made up as I don’t need Psycho Suzi looking for me in retaliation, as she is one pissed off babe, as you’ll see.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> This was the summer 2011, on the golf course, skipping work as usual, just made a par and my cell phone rings. Hopefully this phone call was not going to interfere with my game; I didn’t want to leave the course right away with only two holes to go.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I say, ”Hello” and wait with anticipation of what this could be at 6 PM at night.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “Yes, my name is Brad Thomas. I was referred to you by a law firm in Sacramento and I kind of have an emergency”.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I think to myself, Oh God, it’s a restraining order, usually is, especially when they say they have an emergency and there is anguish in their voice. Here we gooooooo ---</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Brad has an ex-girlfriend that is harassing him, calling all hours of the day and night, driving by his place throwing rocks through his windows and driving her car up on his lawn, ruining the landscaping. She won’t leave him alone. AND to top it off, he doesn’t know where she is, or where she is living.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> A Restraining Order is the worst kind of legal paper you can serve. Restraining Orders are all about stopping someone else from doing something you don’t like such as “I am going to burn your house down”, or “I am going to continue to throw rocks at your windows”, “I am going to keep slandering you on the internet”, “I am going to take our kids out of the state even if you don’t like it” etc. A person who wants a Restraining Order has to visit the courthouse, fill out the court forms stating their problem, in triplicate probably, then a judge has to sign it, then a court clerk has to file it, then the person has to find someone like me to serve it. A judge will not sign a restraining order unless you can show actual physical abuse of yourself or your property; you can’t say “I think my boyfriend is going to beat me up”. You have to say, “My boyfriend beat me up and I have 20 stitches in my face”. You cannot exaggerate or tell lies when applying for a Restraining Order. The action against you has to have already been done in most cases. Whatever you are trying to get another person to stop doing, he or she has to have already done it. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Sorry but the law is not in your favor. You have some wacko hurting you or your property and you have to pay the fees and submit all the paperwork, then get a judge’s signature, only then can you serve the person. Only after service of this Restraining Order is given to the psycho, and if the psycho then violated the “cease and desist” order, the police will then get involved, usually not until then. I am only telling you this from my personal experience, maybe the police can get involved prior to the restraining order but even then, a Restraining Order has to be served on the psycho to get any permanent law enforcement or legal conviction on this.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> It is not uncommon to walk into a courthouse anytime on a Friday or Monday morning, and see long lines of people filling out forms, writing checks for court fees, feeling frustrated, and then waiting all day for a judge to sign the paperwork. Usually, if a person is there on a Friday, they feel something bad is going to happen over the weekend and they want to head it off at the pass, and convince the judge it is serious enough for his signature. Mondays are for people wanting a Restraining Order against someone who actually DID something over the weekend. You spend hours at the court, then usually around 4 PM, the clerk calls your name, then you see if the judge agreed with you, if so, he signed the order, if not, you have to wait until you get beat up. I am not an advocate of this kind of judicial thinking or policy, I think it’s ridiculous. But you hear about it on TV all the time, such as a woman warning the police that something is going to happen but they tell her there is nothing they can do until something DID happen.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Remember, it’s not our (process servers) fault people cannot get along. It’s a job to be done if you accept it and want to work for this individual. Before I take on a case like this, I get a lot of information from the person about what his situation is, who really is the crazy one, him or his girlfriend? Is he going to call me day and night or is he going to leave me alone and let me do my job. If they pass the test on the cell phone, cool, if they don’t I tell them I am actually on vacation and give them someone else to call.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> You have to charge the client triple fees because you are going to eat up the first third of your fee in emotional distress, yours and the clients. Taking on this kind of case means: the client calls you ALL the time on your cell phone even when you tell them your plan and the exact time you will call them with an update. It’s a lot of hand holding. If you don’t control them to the inch of their lives, you will receive a call at 11 PM waking you up. “Sorry to bother you, I just need to know what’s happening”. It’s all emotion for these clients; this restraining order consumes their whole lives. Don’t get me wrong, I have empathy for them (not at 11:00 PM at night though), but just be in this frame of mind when you accept the job.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Back to Brad, he is a general contractor, has his own business, just built a house he really likes in a new and upcoming suburb near Sacramento. He dated this psycho Suzi for a few weeks, couldn’t take it anymore, broke it off and Suzi obviously doesn’t want closure on this.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Brad’s Restraining Order was signed by a judge, no problem. Brad has already been harassed, has suffered property damage and monetary damage as well replacing the house windows and shrubs..</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> After discussing the “triple” fee with Brad, he said no problem. Ok, I am in. Psycho Suzi here I come.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> One thing about cases that have a lot of agitation, upset or and disturbance, you need to stay focused. Do not get involved in the person’s emotional state, stay focused and the most important thing: The more difficult the situation is, the lighter approach you take. An example:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I needed to serve a Restraining Order on a guy who had a lot of guns and threatened to kill his wife. She got the Restraining approved because he recently pointed one of his guns at her. This was enough for a judge to hear.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I did not knock on his door, duh. I waited for him to leave his house in the early morning to go to work. I wait until he is approaching his car and then I approached him instantly saying Good Morning. He stops and I raise my arms saying “don’t shoot”. He starts laughing. That broke the ice, I explained the Restraining Order to him, and he stated he would attend the hearing and explain to the judge that it was all a misunderstanding. My job is not to listen to their side, or get involved in what is true or false about cases, my job is to effect service by sizing people up, predicting their reaction, and using the right approach to get the job done.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Knowing what approach to take with people you are serving comes from experience, knowing how to predict their behavior comes from experience, but when you have this down, your work is easy, you get quick results and you have no stress to manage.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Back to Brad, I met up with him at Starbucks and got the papers (Restraining Orders) from him and he gave me a picture of psycho Suzi. The only thing he knew about her was that she might be a subcontractor for a local Interior Design business. Brad seemed like a won’t-rip-me-off kind of guy, so I told him he could pay me when I was done, then he handed me a partial payment of $80.00 for the hell of it. Awesome.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I never tell clients what my exact plan is, because to be honest, I don’t always know right then and there. People you need to serve come in different forms, shapes, sizes and emotional states needing different approaches. To serve psycho Suzi I had to find her, so this was the first step.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Seems complicated? Well, this is where you take the light approach not to mention the simplest approach. You trap her.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The next day, I called the Interior Design business and wanted to make an appointment with them to redesign the window treatments in my office (I wish). Suzi would not have answered the phone because she is a sub-contractor so I was free to say whatever I wanted. I made an time and date over the phone telling the appointment setter I was referred by so and so and asked if Suzi was still working there? The designer who answered the phone said yes, then I immediately said that’s great but any designer will do. (We don’t want Suzi to know we specifically asked for her and tip her off, we want to do this right, even if it takes a few appointments to nail this broad). She said she didn’t know who was available to come Friday at 3:00 PM but someone would be there. I gave her an address of a commercial building with several offices (not my address or Suite #). I only had to give her my first name and gave her a phony work number. When I give a phony number, I only change one number from my real number, that way if I need to be in touch again, it would appear </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">they</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> wrote it down wrong. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> On a sunny Friday afternoon @ 3:00 PM, I was waiting at the designated commercial building in the parking lot. Since I had a picture of her and a description of the car she drives, I would know it’s her when she pulled in. There was only one driveway in the complex. If it wasn’t her, but another designer, we would go through the motion of pretending that we had an work emergency and needed to reschedule.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> At 2:57 PM, as luck would have it, Suzi pulls up in her nice blue Honda. I wave at her and she pulls into a parking space. She rolls down the window and says “Hello”. I say hello back, and then tell her, with a nice but straight face, that she is actually being served with a Restraining Order from Brad Thomas. I show her on the papers the section about the court hearing date, time and what court address she is to go to. She instantly goes into bitch mode and tries to roll the window up on my arm almost catching it. I throw the papers through the window and they fall on her lap. I then start walking towards the front door of one of the buildings and while walking I hear her gun the engine and peel out of the parking lot. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I don’t take Restraining Orders lightly, I figure out the safest and fastest way to serve them, then get it done. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> A permanent restraining order was granted against Psycho Suzi, and our client never heard from her again. And, if she ever wanted to find me, she couldn’t.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Sorry, wrong number.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-20195538350095307142012-06-24T16:44:00.001-07:002018-07-19T15:51:02.704-07:00SWOOP AND SQUAT<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Its fall, such a beautiful day as I’m driving to the office. My phone rings, it's an Attorney who sounds a little frantic and starts telling me he is on a break from a trial in Sacramento County Superior Court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Must be serious if he is calling </span>during <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any</i> trial, so I pull the car over and grab paper and pencil. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Mr. Roberts, an Attorney, is a big-time litigator from out of town and the lead attorney on a case along with two other associate attorneys from California. They are one week into this trial involving a staged motor vehicle accident, a scam which caused one death and serious injuries. This scam involves perpetrators who purposely cause motor vehicle accidents and target unsuspecting drivers. These perpetrators use one or more vehicles, strictly done for financial gain bilking insurance companies for false injuries. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> According to my law enforcement buddies, the two most common vehicle scams used in staged collisions are known as the <span style="color: blue;">“</span></span><a href="http://www.allstate.com/about/fraud.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">swoop and squat”</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> and the “drive down”.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Swoop and Squat” involves two or three scammers, each driving a separate vehicle. These scammers target vehicles with a single driver. This way there are no witnesses to the accident that is about to occur. The “squat” vehicle usually contains two scammers, who position themselves in front of the victim’s vehicle, slowing to close the distance between the vehicles. Then the “swoop” vehicle changes lanes in front of the “squat” vehicle and suddenly stops while the “squat vehicle” slams on his breaks causing the innocent victim to rear-end the “squat” vehicle. The “swoop” vehicle then leaves the scene in a hurry, never to be seen again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> In the “Drive Down” version of this scam, the perpetrators stage an accident at any street location where there is a yielding of right-of-way. The innocent driver thinking the perpetrators are being nice by waving the driver ahead, and as he proceeds through the intersection, the perpetrator purposely accelerates broad siding the victim’s vehicle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Roberts goes on to explain the trial he is working on is a “Drive Down” case where he believes their clients were scammed. The Plaintiffs’ (perpetrators) screwed up the driving logistics of the scam involving several cars and one of the scammers died (guess no one heard or saw the fire truck with its sirens coming through the intersection). The Plaintiffs’ (perpetrators) are suing our clients for wrongful death. It is also common for these Plaintiffs’ to stage witnesses at the scene, giving false eyewitness statements and lying again at their trial testimonies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Just before lunch, this attorney had Jose Hernandez on the stand (a hostile witness and one of the scam drivers.) During his cross-examination of Hernandez, this guy denied any connection to one of the witnesses at the scene, Miguel Menendez, whose statement stated our client ran a red light causing the accident. This attorney believes Menendez and Hernandez are connected, both giving false testimony, but he can’t prove it. He needs to find a way to prove it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> This attorney wants to put Hernandez back on the stand the next morning at 10:00 AM, and wants me somehow, if I can, to get the phone records of Hernandez, who is from Reno but staying in a hotel here in Sacramento. The attorney wants evidence showing Hernandez has been calling his buddy, Miguel Menendez, in Reno, giving him updates of the trial. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> By this time, it's 3:30 PM - I have only one night to figure out what to do. I arrive at the courtroom by 4:30 PM, and meet the attorneys. They give me $500 in cash as a retainer for any costs I incur in the next few hours and the phone number for Miguel Menendez. I told them I’d see what I could do, then while I was leaving one of the attorneys interjected that I came highly recommended, which is nice but I could feel their desperation bearing down on me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I really need a miracle here.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> The attorneys know this is a long shot as you cannot obtain someone’s phone bill or a list of phone calls a person makes without a court order, which this legal team does not have. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p>So how to get Hernandez recent phone records…um…and most importantly – LEGALLY!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Assignments like this will take creativity. Don’t get desperate, just think about it, drive home, see your kids, make dinner, and hire a babysitter for the night, then go to <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Starbucks</span></a>. Now you are ready, having no pressure on the domestic end, you can really plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Then after thinking about it…an idea comes to me but can I really pull it off? I sit at Starbucks while playing devil’s advocate, side checking all angles and scenarios of what could happen. I knew the attorneys would bail me out of jail if somehow this did not go right, or someone went ballistic on me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> It's 8:00 PM, I am sitting in my vehicle at the hotel where Jose Hernandez is staying purposely waiting until dark. This hotel has three huge buildings, two stories of rooms, all separated from the main building where the check-in counter is, as well as the restaurant and gym which overlooks the spacious glimmering pool. I drive around all the buildings, locate Hernandez’s room, and then watch the main entrance for a while to see what kind of activity is going on. I decide not much is happening so I put my plan into play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I parked my vehicle out of sight, but close enough to get to for a quick get-a-way if needed. I walked to Hernandez’s room and knock. If he was there, I would pretend I had the wrong room, ask for my sister or something, apologize to him then leave. For my plan to work, he could not be in his room. I waited on the stairwell for a while in case Hernandez was in th</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e shower and 20 minutes later, no response again so I was good to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span> I watched the parking lot in case Hernandez or any male pulled up to the rooms while I walked to the main office. No one pulled in so I entered the lobby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> As I walk in, the first thing I do is observe the night attendant in the hotel lobby while scanning quickly for any Hispanics or Hernandez himself, who might be sitting around. Then I check out the night staff. If you are trying to pull off a situation like this one, you want to work with as few employees as possible. It must be the right environment, you must always have the feeling you can pull the plan off. It will only backfire if you do not have good intuition or vibes about a person, place or thing. </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I figured I only had a few minutes to pull this off because Hernandez could possibly visit the front desk for some reason. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I say to the clerk, “Hello, how’s your night going?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Adrenalin starting to pump.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> “Fine, how can I help you?”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> “Could you call Room 209 and see if the guys are in their room? I was supposed to meet them here.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Notice I don’t mention any names(s). <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> If Hernandez did answer the phone in his room, then I would ask the night clerk to ask him if he was Steve Miller, saying I actually “forgot” the correct room number for Miller thinking it was Room 209. If Hernandez did answer the phone, then I know he is there and could not pull off my plan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> The clerk rings the room – no answer so I say, “I am dropping off some money for the guys in Room 209, our company pays their expenses, and to make matters worse one of them lost their wallet. Luckily I live local or they’d be up a creek. How much do they owe you for their hotel room? “ </span></span><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He looks on the computer and says, “$160.00.” </span></span><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I then counted out the cash asking for a receipt. He does not ask my name or anything. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> But I had to wait for him to go in the other room where the DOT MATRIX printer was. I could hear the damn receipt slowly and agonizingly creeping through the printer. I mean real SLOW, painfully SLOW. Finally, he hands me the hotel receipt. </span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span> My heart is racing now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I then say, “Thanks for the receipt, but while I’m here I might as well pay their phone bill too, how much is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> “That bill is $67.00”, he says.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> “Ok, let me pay that too and get a receipt.” (I knew any phone bill receipt from hotels list all incoming and outgoing calls). I plunked down $67.00 and waited for another receipt. It is SLOWLY grinding its way through the DOT MATRIX printer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"> </span></i>He hands me the receipt. I then thanked him and told him to have a good night. I wanted to run but instead slowly walked out the front door, then when I was out of view, I ran like hell to my car of course.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> My adrenaline was out of control.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Not one time did I say Hernandez’s name or my name and paying cash makes me untraceable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I concluded that when Hernandez found out his bills were paid, I'm sure he thought he lucked out and someone paid his bills by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mistake</i>. This is why I never mentioned his name; he cannot prove he was targeted. And if this happens to drive him "bonkers" - SNAP!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I drove directly to my office. Made no stops. This is a chain of custody thing you don’t want to screw up. <span lang="EN">The chain of custody requires from the moment evidence is collected, that every transfer of this evidence from person to person is to be documented; every stop you make has to be logged. This proves there was no way anyone unauthorized had access to this evidence to alter or change its contents.</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <span lang="EN" style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> In the courtroom, if the witness questions the chain of custody of the evidence, it can be proven by the log and my own testimony, that the phone bill is the same phone bill gotten from the hotel. However, if there are discrepancies and it cannot be proven who had the phone bill at a particular point in time, then the chain of custody is broken and the witness can ask to have the resulting evidence declared inadmissible.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> At my desk, I was anxious to know if the phone numbers belonging to Menendez were on Hernandez’s phone bill. Yes!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I then put the phone bill in an envelope, sealing it with red tape, and then locked it in the office safe. I then called the Attorney's, letting them know what I found, and handed these documents to them the next morning in the courtroom at 8:30 AM. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Later that day, the Attorney called thanking me profusely. He was thrilled in being able to submit the evidence to the court, and not only that, but the phone bill had matched another number to another false witness which resulted in them winning the case a week later.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> The attorneys let me keep the remainder of the $500.00 and they could not have been any more grateful. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> It took a couple of days for my adrenalin to return to normal and I kept thinking about that damn MATRIX PRINTER! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> </span>Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-42060795247266070372012-02-09T10:27:00.000-08:002013-09-08T15:30:59.051-07:00WRITER'S NOTES #10<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SERVING INMATES AT PRISONS</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">A few notes about serving inmates -</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can find out if a person is incarcerated by visiting the website of the particular prison you think he is in, most prisons have an on-line database, BUT you will need their full name, date of birth and/or their prison ID number. Most of the time, a prison ID number is needed if you don't have a date of birth. This number can be found in the inmates criminal file at the courthouse where that person was convicted. Some prisons require all three criteria or just one, depends.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Also, each prison has different policies on their inmates being served. You should call them first BUT they are extremely hard to get though to on the phone, not so much the County jails but the State jails are rough. You might not have any choice but to drive there and talk to the guard at the gate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sometimes on the prisons website there are administrative/legal office email addresses, then I email them asking how I can go about serving one of their inmates. Sometimes I get a response and sometimes I don't. It's a crap shoot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When you arrive at any jail or prison, remove all metal including staples from the legal papers. Nothing sharp is allowed on prison grounds, not even a staple.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can also visit <a href="http://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov/" target="_blank">http://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov/</a> and find out what prison your subject is at. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Beware, you CANNOT wear any blue jeans or any blue jean material when visiting a prison. The tower guards will see you coming and over the loud speaker they will tell you to go back to your vehicle, also telling you blue jeans are not allowed on prison grounds.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Hint: If you are trying to find a defendant to serve them and you can't locate them, go ahead and check the inmate locator. I have found my share of defendants in prison and would not have known this if I didn't check for the heck of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Here's a quick story: A family was referred to me a year ago, seems their son was traveling by car with a friend to New York and the last they heard from him, he was in Ada, Oklahoma or some Midwestern state, I forget which one. He had not been in touch for 3 days. I found out from his parents he did have a little history of being a flake, so I checked the websites for Ada county jails, checking for recent arrests, and his name was listed. He was arrested for being in a vehicle with his buddy who was drunk. Originally, when he was allowed to make that one phone call, he didn't call his family, he called another friend in New York, but his family eventually got through to him at the jail. He was eventually released. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Checking resources like this is valuable so use it.</span></div>
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Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-27631804569094314152011-12-03T15:15:00.000-08:002013-09-08T15:29:54.809-07:00WRITERS NOTES #8<span style="color: blue;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">Trade Shows - another successful action.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">It is very important to attend and become a vendor at legal trade shows or conferences. They are worth every penny. All you need is your promotional items and some small gifts to hand out. I invite all my current clients to my booth at the trade show when it is in their area, as shown by the invitation below.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">I did this for years and it was very successful. Trade shows allow you to meet other people in your profession and it keeps your business continually in front of the legal community all over California. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">Competition is good, it keeps you motivated to <em>always be distinctive</em>. Meeting others in your profession through these trade shows is a good thing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">Every County has a legal secretaries association and they each have their own events/trade shows but here are a couple of associations to get you started:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana;">Legal Secretaries Inc.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.lsi.org/" target="_blank">www.lsi.org</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">Sacramento Legal Secretaries</span> Association</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.slsa.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">www.slsa.org</span></a></div>
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<br />Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-52706483618079363902011-11-14T11:02:00.001-08:002013-09-08T10:25:28.793-07:00NUT JOB MOTHER OF ALL NUT-JOB MOTHERS<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> July, 2008, a beautiful day sitting in my
office contemplating if I should go play 18 holes of golf and as soon as I
thought about playing hooky during a work day, the phone rings. I answer the
phone and the response is: “My name is Joseph Kennedy, Attorney with a law firm
in Lake Tahoe, CA. I was referred to you by another law firm who said you are
the best person for our case. Do you have a moment to talk about this?” I said,
“Sure”.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> This case involves Shelby Ford, living in Lake
Tahoe, who has custody visitation of her son (6) and daughter (9), two times
a year, at the end of summer and Christmas time. Twice a year for several years
now, the father has flown the children from Atlanta to Sacramento, CA., so that
the children can visit their mother. As court mandated, at the end of the two week
visitation/vacation period the children are driven to the Sacramento airport
by their mother. Shelby is suppose to purchase one-way tickets for the
children making sure they get on their returning home flight to Atlanta, GA. These
children live with their father and step-mother for the rest of the year as he
has full custody. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> The problem is each time the mother, Shelby,
returns the children to the Sacramento airport, various insane actions occur. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such as the father never knows what airline the
children are flying on, or what flight number or arrival time. Shelby never
tells the father, Steve or step-mother, Karen, when or how the children are
returning home. She sometimes doesn’t buy them a ticket, just drops them off at
the front door of Southwest, then leaves and drives back to Lake Tahoe. One
time she put the children on a one way flight to Dallas and another time Shelby
bought one way tickets to St. Louis. But in these two instances the children
are stuck at the airports while the father is frantic calling airlines
searching for his children. Once Steve and Karen locate the children, he buys high
premium tickets from wherever to Atlanta. These scenarios have been going on
for a few years now, and since repeated court documents (to knock off this behavior) have gone unanswered by Shelby Ford, new legal documents are now calling for contempt citations against her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Here’s
the real kicker:</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> The father of these children, Steve
Ford, having to worry about his children and wondering where they are, is an
Army Captain on the front lines in IRAQ, dealing with this while fighting a
war. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> So here we are, end of summer, the children
are suppose to be at the Sacramento airport, Southwest airlines, @ 2 PM, with tickets in hand and on a flight to Atlanta. On this particular
trip, Shelby told the father she will buy the tickets, one–way direct flight to
Atlanta agreeing that the children will be there on time, will check them in and
actually see them off at the gate.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Also, Shelby Ford now needs to be
served with these contempt papers and an order to show cause (court hearing that is
mandatory she appear to determine why she is being an idiot). The main court
documents states:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“At the end of the mother’s
summer visit, the children shall be returned to the Atlanta Airport for their
return trip. The Atlanta Airport is designated the return trip destination for
the conclusion of the mothers visits”. These orders also include the mother buying
one way plane tickets for her children and accompany them to the departing
gate. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> My assignment was to enforce this court order
by meeting Shelby Ford and her minor children, @ 12 noon, July 31, 2008,
Southwest Airlines, Sacramento International Airport, ensuring the minor
children have tickets, boarding passes and are scheduled to be put on a plane
to Atlanta, Georgia. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Upon arriving at the airport @ 9:00 AM, the
first stop was at the airport Sheriff’s Division, to meet with them explaining
the entire nature of the legal papers, what my purpose was and informing them
that civil standbys will be needed. We spoke about who has jurisdiction, where
the state laws start regarding state vs. federal laws on airport property. It
was determine the airport Sheriff’s Division have jurisdiction up to the s</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">ecurity checkpoints governed by the
Federal Transportation Security Administration. Once the children are pass the
checkpoint, then Homeland Security is the governing agency. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> After
the Sheriff’s Division meeting, I needed to find a Southwest Airlines executive
who was going to back me up, more importantly find out if the children were
reserved on any Southwest flights and if the tickets were paid for in advance.
Since this information is extremely confidential I contacted an inside source I
have in the airline industry. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I
arrived at the office of my inside source, @ 10 AM, and was informed that
Southwest Airlines is the only airline not part of the flight network so she
could not check their flights for the children names or reservations, however,
I had her check all the other airlines anyway, and found no reservations were
made and no tickets were bought for Stacie and Jimmy Ford. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My contact called the supervisor at Southwest
Airlines, and explained the situation. I was then informed Southwest would help
and to meet them at the Operations Dept. of Southwest.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Around
11:00 AM, I met with the supervisor’s assistant, who checked all their
Southwest flights finding out the children had <u>no</u> reservations and <u>no</u> tickets
had even been purchased. I informed her that tickets will be purchased today and
asked her to check her flights going to Atlanta and to reserve seats for the
children. I gave her the names and birthdates of Stacie and Jimmy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> With
no tickets or even reservations made by Shelby Ford, I now knew it was safe to
assume Shelby Ford was going to bring the children to Southwest Airlines or any
one of the Sacramento airport airlines and dump them - again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I
then contacted the airport Sheriff’s asking them to come to the Southwest
Airlines terminal, explaining we have a possible parental abandonment issue and
I wanted Shelby Ford arrested or detained until these court orders are met. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> By
11:30 AM, there were at least two Sheriff’s at the terminal reading all of the
legal papers and orders, making phone calls to their supervisors, then other
Sheriff’s would come by, they would have short meetings, (I gave them their
privacy), then they would leave except for the original two Sheriff’s. An associate
of mine stayed near the inside the terminal with the Sheriff’s while I stayed
outside to watch Shelby Ford and the children pull up to the curb, ensuring the
children were not just dropped off and abandoned outside the terminal. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> By 12:15
PM, while watching the entrance to Southwest airlines, I saw Stacie and Jimmy
Ford walking from the parking structure near the terminal, not with their
mother but instead, with their feeble grandmother. The two children were
helping the grandmother walk. With two airport Sheriff’s at my side, I
introduced myself to the children, had them take a seat nearby, and then when
the children were out of ear shot, explained to the grandmother the specifics
of the court orders. It did not take long to realize that she was incoherent,
combative and a bit senile. She then tried to leave the airport with the
children and was stopped by the Sheriff’s who told her that she and the
children are officially being detained. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> This
is where the trouble started - the grandmother would not turn the children over
to me and continually argued with the sheriff’s, also refusing to tell us
specifically where Shelby Ford was parked. We knew she was hiding in her blue
SUV in one of several airport parking lots. The grandmother immediately wanted
to know where Karen Ford (step-mother) was, that she was supposed to be here
and fly back with the children. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Crazy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>She was informed that Karen was never
suppose to be here, that Shelby needs to come in, buy the tickets and see the
children off. The Grandmother then yelled she was leaving with the children and
the Sheriff’s stopped her again. The Grandmother immediately called Shelby from
her cell phone and spoke to her, but would not let us overhear the
conversation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> From
12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, an additional four Sheriff’s came on the scene including
the Lt. Commander and additional Sergeant’s. They were all reading the legal papers
together, having meetings with each other, making a lot of phone calls on their
cell phones (to whom is unknown but assuming by the conversations these calls
were to Commanders at the Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security). Officers
also made phone calls to the attorney for Steve Ford. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> One
of the Sergeant’s, Jody, was the main officer in charge who kept talking to the
Grandmother and trying several times to get her to call Shelby Ford on her cell
phone and have her come into the terminal. Finally, the Sergeant told the
Grandmother the children will be taken away from her and sent to the children’s
receiving home if she does not co-operate. I immediately told the Sergeant that
Karen Ford gave me temporary custody of the children until this sorted out. I
then called Karen and arranged for her to buy the children their tickets via
Southwest airlines. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> The
Grandmother continued to spew out statements such as “make Steve’s lawyer come
here”, “Shelby’s lawyer says she doesn’t have to comply”, and “make Karen come
here”, on and on which caused the children to be upset. One of the Sergeants’ finally
got the Grandmother to call Shelby and confirm she would come into the
terminal. We waited an hour and Shelby never showed. The Grandmother also kept
calling an “attorney” speaking to her but not letting us hear the conversation.
Finally, the Grandmother got through to Shelby’s attorney and one of the Sergeant’s
spoke to this attorney. After explaining the court orders, the Sergeant asked
this attorney when she was hired. After some discussion, Jody basically stated
to the Attorney she had no authority to intervene as she never filed an
Attorney of Record document until after the court orders were signed by the
Judge. That was the end of this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> During
this wait period, we bought the children some food and drinks while the
Grandmother kept spewing different statements to the Sheriff’s driving these
guys crazy, like saying the children might get stolen off the plane etc. Again,
one of the Sheriff’s told her to be quiet while they sort this out. At one
point Jimmy was crying and we comforted him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> According
to the acting-in-charge Sergeant, Jody, the Grandmother was making statements
in front of or to the children about them being molested back home by their
father, that they will not be properly fed or they will be left along and
scared at their father’s home. I saw Jody go over to the Grandmother telling
her to knock it off, shut up and sit. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Still
during this time, other Sheriff’s were making phone calls; even one Sheriff
faxed all our legal documents to the District Attorney’s office. I think they
were waiting for word from their superiors on what action they can take. One of
the Sheriff’s then informed me after speaking to the DA’s office, that they can
only hold the Grandmother and children for 4 hours, and then they have to let
them go. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Previously
around 2:00 PM, I confirmed with a Southwest supervisor the tickets were bought
for the children by Karen Ford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
getting all their ticket information, itinerary and boarding passes ready, as
well as security passes for me so I could go through the checkpoint with the
children and up to Gate 15.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> It
was apparent Shelby was never going to appear. Sheriff’s spent time going through
parking lots looking for her and her vehicle with no result. We believe she
left the airport until the Grandmother told her it was safe to come to the
terminal and pick her up. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The
Lt. Commander, a Sergeant and another Sheriff received a phone call, and then
had a meeting. The next thing I know is the Sergeant is screaming at Shelby
Ford on her cell phone, telling her this was disgusting behavior for a mother, and
is deplorable. Shelby Ford continued refusing to come into the terminal and
speak with the Sheriff’s.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A
little while later and after more discussion, @ 2:45 PM, it was time for the
children to go through TSA and to the gate. The grandmother insisted she come
to the gate too, to “make sure the children are not stolen by anyone”. One of
the Southwest supervisors gave the grandmother a security pass and a
wheelchair. The Sheriff’s stayed behind the security line watching us. Their
jurisdiction ends at the security point and Homeland Security takes over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The
grandmother was still behind us at the security checkpoint, I didn’t care. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> From
2:45 PM to 4:15 PM, we watched the children along with a Southwest supervisor
at the departing gate. The supervisor continually had to intervene as the
Grandmother was upsetting them with statements about molestation from their
father, and Stacie was crying. The supervisor and I took the children near the
actual gate ramp, and stayed there with them. A few minutes later we got Stacie
to stop crying, and then flight attendant opened the door, introduced herself
to the children taking them down the ramp onto the plane. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> I
left the Grandmother sitting in her wheelchair and left the security area. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To
recap - after several hours, Stacie and Jimmy Ford received their tickets and
boarding passes, then escorted by us, along with four Sheriff’s and two Southwest
supervisors up to homeland security. We then went to Gate 15 for departure @
4:35 pm to <st1:city w:st="on">Oklahoma City</st1:city>, with a layover in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Phoenix</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">AZ.</st1:state></st1:place>
I arranged for a Southwest Airline supervisor in Phoenix to meet the children ensuring
they were fed and to assist them in making their connecting flight home, which
they did landing at 12:05 AM in Atlanta, GA. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The
next day, I received a phone
call from IRAQ. I could hear the <em>bone-chilling</em> sounds of tanks and soldiers talking, and feeling like I was right there on the battlefield. It was Captain Ford
expressing his gratitude and thanking me for getting his children home safely.
He kept calling me “Ma’am”. I always hate it when people call me Ma’am but coming
from this Captain, it had a whole different feel. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In
Lake Tahoe, two days later, the mother was served by the Sheriff’s and arrested
charging her with abandonment and obstruction of justice. A few months later, through the
courts, Shelby Ford lost her parental rights permanently. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> As
Captain Ford would say, BOORAH!!!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: magenta;"></span><br /></div>
Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-69908626007888043152011-11-01T11:32:00.000-07:002013-09-08T15:29:31.526-07:00WRITERS NOTES #7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJtk3Z7qCIhI_okmtQuSTV8W6nR6STminhuUwUSwPNQR5Nvlp0bPJGNCQdFgDCdt9d-oI43kQMDeXnJ6NFZKKoth5eT5Hivyagqv7FKpKvfi2-0_qpFqDdzd1nGW9GRJY6qtWk_70HR4/s1600/Mozart+Xmas2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJtk3Z7qCIhI_okmtQuSTV8W6nR6STminhuUwUSwPNQR5Nvlp0bPJGNCQdFgDCdt9d-oI43kQMDeXnJ6NFZKKoth5eT5Hivyagqv7FKpKvfi2-0_qpFqDdzd1nGW9GRJY6qtWk_70HR4/s320/Mozart+Xmas2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's a great tip: </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you need to wait to serve someone in a neighborhood where it is going to be very obvious to the suspicious neighbors that you are out-of-place - walk a dog!</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I inherited Mozart, a little Shih Zu, and had him for two years. He loved riding with me, the best dog to travel with. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Mozart and I served many people while taking a walk around the neighborhood. We just "take a walk" and when the person we wanted to serve came home, we served them. (I kept the legal papers inside my jacket)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"></span><br />Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-79866294179936198742011-10-12T11:26:00.000-07:002013-09-08T15:28:49.742-07:00WRITERS NOTES #6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIvm_GdNgH8dlzbtn4VY2r9ET4z5n72Yr74AlQCVG2vh_LBuwk7VFc4OOu4MiMQPdrM-o2vEuv8ZOSutfHNVEPigE4OCNnSFcyb69Mmv_KWtL2KYZ8y_GvIIQU5fwnMz5egi3hY6XwvA/s1600/Logo2004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIvm_GdNgH8dlzbtn4VY2r9ET4z5n72Yr74AlQCVG2vh_LBuwk7VFc4OOu4MiMQPdrM-o2vEuv8ZOSutfHNVEPigE4OCNnSFcyb69Mmv_KWtL2KYZ8y_GvIIQU5fwnMz5egi3hY6XwvA/s320/Logo2004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Prioritizing Your Clients</span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">Because of the many variables in this job, some easy, some difficult, you have to be flexible and know how to prioritize. You might have your whole day planned out but it could change in an instant. You could all of a sudden get a phone call from a law firm and have to serve or file something the same day in a total different direction and different city. Always take all your outstanding work with you when you leave your office for the day, that way if you end up going in a different direction, you will have the outstanding work that might need to be done in the direction you are going. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">Over the years I have prioritize my clients into three categories. I had a A list, B list and a C list.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">The A clients were the ones that were always a joy to work for, there were never any problems, they trusted me and always paid their bills quickly. The B list were the clients that even though we got along well, they paid their bills slowly. The C clients were the ones who only used you once in a while and only called you because their regular attorney service couldn't do the job at that particular moment, and these ones usually complain about the bill, they still pay it but complain.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">Never put the A client behind a B client nor the B client behind a C client. If you are too busy for the day doing work for the A or B client, then give the C client a referral to another attorney service. Never has an A or B client asked me how much I charge and never questioned a bill. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">Because the LEGWORK brand is distinctive, and it has made a name for itself - doing impeccable work and sometimes doing the impossible - you want to make sure you take care of the clients that know this, not the ones who don't know you and will complain about the fee you charge.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">As a side note: PRO BONO work is something you should do. You will have an A or B client that has cases that won't make any money for anyone but yet they have to resolve the case, or they have Pro Bono cases they take on themselves. If you get wind of your clients doing this kind of work, offer to help them Pro Bono. I like the saying "Pay it Forward". You should too. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://apps.americanbar.org/legalservices/probono/directory.html">http://apps.americanbar.org/legalservices/probono/directory.html</a></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-88754441366799140732011-10-01T18:06:00.000-07:002017-09-19T10:20:04.810-07:00CUSTODY<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> It’s the summer of 2008. I just birdied the 13th hole on my favorite golf course, the sun is shining and while fishing around for my sunglasses, my cell phone starts ringing, a call from an area code somewhere from the Midwest. Turns out i<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">t’s an attorney from Missouri, referred to by a Sacramento law firm. Their client is a father who lives and works in St. Louis, who has a missing child, a three year old daughter. The daughter lived in St. Louis until she was taken in the middle of the night by her mother, who then fled. The attorney and his client think she fled to Sacramento where her family last lived, and they want to find her. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> The father, Steve, while in Sacramento on a business trip a few years ago, met Sabina, a beautiful young woman who recently came to the US. Steve met Sabina in a local Sacramento bar. They "fell in love", marrying a few months later, and Sabina agreed to move back to St. Louis, where they subsequently had a daughter. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Sabina fled with their daughter - just disappeared from home. Steve had “no idea” his wife would desert him, taking their daughter and cutting all communication. The mother is not “breaking” any laws yet since they are still married. There are no legal or custody issues pending before any Missouri or California court. Law enforcement is not going to get involved until the mother is served with court documents ordering her back to St. Louis for hearings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Maybe I am getting twisted but I see this more and more. Some foreign women come to the US with their families; find some rich American to marry while their families continue to get public assistance from us. I have never found one family member in situations like this that had a job. They drive new SUV’s, live in really nice rental housing provided to them by government assistance. They use their first names for their last names, middle names for their first names, last names for their middle names. They use each others names and use each other’s Social Security numbers. You can’t tell who is who. I am only talking about a small minority here I hope, but it seems in cases like this, when I work on them, an additional burden is added in finding them, because with all the scamming, it's hard to use confidential database resources to find them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> For the last three months, Steve sent thousands of dollars to the Sacramento address of his wife’s family with notes to give the money to his child and wife so they are not destitute. He continues to pay her cell phone bills, although she doesn’t respond to his phone messages. Steve continues to make the payments on her brand new Escalade that she supposedly drove to California. I really can’t make this stuff up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> This Pakistani princess, (mother) would receive the checks from Steve, then cash them at check cashing businesses or third party vendors so you can’t trace the cashing transactions. The mother did not use banks. She wouldn't pass the scrutiny.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Before taking this case on, I asked the attorney questions about his client as well as Sabina and I also spoke to the client myself. I need to know if there is any earlier instances of anti-social behavior (abuse, attempted suicide etc.) resulting in the possibility the mother would take her own life and that of the daughter. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: OCR-A; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> After discussing this with the attorney and talking to his client, we then arranged a mail package be sent to me containing pictures, descriptions, cell phone bills (so I can see who she is calling), her parents address, vehicle descriptions and legal papers to be served. The father petitioned the court for a divorce and a hearing to establish child custody issues. Steve</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> doesn’t want any reconciliation, no second chances, he just wants her served and child custody orders issued.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Where to start? The most crucial thing in cases like these is predicting human behavior. Assessing the stress level of the ex-spouse or kidnapper is vital and adjusting the way you perform is crucial so it does not get out of control. This kind of thing is in the papers everyday, where the signals were there all along, but no one predicted a kidnappers behavior correctly or use the right amount of control, which results in a tragedy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Opinion: I believe overdosing by some psychiatrists and psychologists are the cause of crime. In most domestic violence cases, murder-suicides, kidnapping and in most crime, the person(s) had been under the influence of psychiatric care and medications. The list of side effects (that pharmaceutical companies have to list in every TV commercial) takes more air time than talking about the unprovable benefits. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> The first stop is the parent’s house in West Sacramento. I check out the complex, and see what the stakeout options are. I need to verify that her parents actually live there along with looking for the princess' vehicle. I find the address in an upscale complex, nice three story townhouse, with security gates. I punch in the gate code (I have gate codes to access all gated communities), or I could just jump the damn fence like I used to, but heck, I’m too old now. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> This preliminary visit resulted in the parent’s vehicle being there, a brand new Chrysler van parked near the townhouse. This was during the day which tells me they probably do not work, as I figured. The Escalade was not around at this time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> To cut your losses quickly which helps to determine best course of action, always do your activity checks during the day time. You can see better, scope out the environment and talk to the apartment managers before they close for the day. Before going to a lot of trouble, verify that the person(s) you are looking for actually live there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Apartment managers are very fickle, you can get a mean one sometimes, and they will not tell you anything. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Figure out a weak point of theirs so they will assist you. Make up a story that gets them motivated to tell you what you need to know. Here’s one that works every time: walk in the manager’s office all cheery and pleasant. Sometimes carry the legal papers with you (not in this case) or just a notebook so you look official. Hand the manager a business card and start your story. Tell them the law firm you are working for lost track of a "witness" for a legal trial, involving two children in a car accident, and you have not been able to get any response from townhouse "#444", then state the name of the person you are looking for. Tell the manager you want to make sure the witness was still alive and well. Seriously. This statement puts the manager’s attention on the “poor children” 9 out of 10 times and you will have gained sympathy. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The manager states the parents have lived there for two years and do not work, receiving assistance from the government to pay their rent. </span></span>I showed the manager a picture of the mother and her daughter, stating she has never seen them or the Escalade around the complex. The manager states she walks the complex several times a day and has never seen them, but does see the parents.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> So this tells me Sabina and her daughter are not staying with the parents even though she uses this address to receive her checks from our client. To sit on the parent’s address and wait for her to show up is time consuming, expensive so my solution is to make this woman come to me. How? Read on.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> This calls for rattling the parents’ cage a bit and see what bites. Now when you do this, keep in mind they know where their daughter is, so always assume the parents are helping them hide and will be very hostile to you. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> After knocking on the door, step back and to the side of the door so they cannot see through the peephole. Do not make yourself vulnerable for any physical contact. Some people, when they can’t see through the peephole, sometimes assume a child is knocking and they would have to open the door to see the “child.” Have the legal papers ready, if the person you want answers the door, explaining quickly you have legal papers and hand them to the person. If the person refuses them, just set them on the entrance door, and if the person starts to slam the door on you, throw the papers inside the door. If the person says they are not the person I am looking for, I ask for identification. Beware, if this is the person you are looking for and they do not want to show you their identification/drivers license, they WILL slam the door so be ready to throw the papers inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> In this case: A 60’ish Pakistani man opened the door dressed in the turban garb and immediately was upset wishing he had not opened the door. I asked for his daughter, and he replied he had no idea where she was. I told him I did not believe him and told him to give Sabina these legal papers to attend a court hearing in Missouri. He wouldn’t take them so I threw them in the door while he was slamming it. I am calling a bluff here because you have to actually serve the person you are after, you can’t leave any legal papers with relatives on the first try. You can leave them with relatives or roommates on the third try but the person you are after has to actually live there. The daughter doesn’t live there so I am just creating a little harassment because I know he will give his daughter these papers – wherever she is. As I was walking back to my truck, I heard him open the door yelling in some language waving legal papers is his hand. He followed me to the end of his breezeway, stood there, still yelling while I drove away.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Process Servers and Private Investigators are licensed by government agencies, therefore entitled access to certain confidential database resources. These database resources consist of names, addresses, property owned, vehicles, relatives, social security numbers, dates of birth, lawsuits, liens, judgments, bankruptcies, cell phone numbers, home and business phone numbers, spouses, sex offenses, airplane and boat ownership, just about anything on anyone, for each person who has applied for any kind of credit. These databases are extremely confidential and must never be used for things like finding celebrities. I make it a rule to only use these databases when there is a lawsuit involved. I do not help the average Joe find his ex-wife, or find out what vehicle is following him. You never know what some individuals will do with the information you give to them. This opens a whole world of insanity, domestic violence and your liability policy will be eaten alive. It can ruin your business and your reputation. Simple, don’t run anything information for individuals unless they have an attorney and this attorney knows you are doing it. </span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> These databases found Sabina's parents listed along with two other relatives who are younger than Sabina. They each list four different addresses around the Sacramento area with the dates they supposedly lived at these places, using different names with the same social security numbers, but that’s ok, I am just interested in first names and any address. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> So let’s do another activities check driving to the most recent address, looking around, scoping it out, see if the Escalade is anywhere around. One place I went to was a house on a corner lot which was empty. At the second place, there were three little Asian children playing out front, so I knew this was no help. The third address resulted in finding out this particular sister moved to Southern California, so no help here either. The last address was a rundown apartment complex in a high crime ridden area. This I liked a lot. You ask why??? Listen up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> In high-crime areas, you get cooperation from apartment managers. They do not want any trouble whatsoever so when they see you coming, they want to assist you in any way so you don’t come back. This kind of environment is usually Section 8 housing, having its share of visits from the police, from the fire department, or domestic violence issues and robberies. They want to assist you, getting the problem taken care of and resolved quickly. Managers don’t want the apartment complex owners on their backs about renting to lowlifes nor do they like having to read police reports involving their property. These kinds of complexes have a 24 hour full-time management staff. They can’t leave these properties for a second and most managers live on site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> I always drive around the entire apartment complex first. You want to know where all the exits are, where the apartment managers office is and a spot where you can park your vehicle so you are as inconspicuous as possible. I locate the apartment I am interested in, and then park and watch the apartment for a while. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> It’s a good idea to just sit and observe sometimes. Also, this is where I do most of my thinking about how to proceed. All cases are not the same, and no two people are alike. Determine the right plan for the right person/case so you get the end result you want. Knowing the right plan comes from years of experience, but in the meantime never assume each situation will have the same reaction each time. They never do. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> When watching the apartment, an upstairs unit, I noticed a female of Pakistani descent, leaning on the banister smoking a cigarette. This woman was the same weight and build as the sister I am looking for. Now, step one. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> I put my Process Servers ID on my belt and walk into the Manager’s office where three women are working. Immediately these woman have the “uh oh” look and one of them gets up and speaks to me. I introduce myself and mentioned what law firm I am working for, along with the fact that we are looking for a lost child (show the child’s picture), and we believe the child’s relatives live in this complex, Apt. 103. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> The apartment manager stated she has seen the child, not less than two days ago. The child comes over with her mother, driving the Escalade, visits for a while, then leaves. I verified the sister does live in Apt. 103, and as it turns out, with her abusive husband and young daughter. The police have been called to this apartment once a month and the manager is getting ready to evict them. Lucky me, this puts the apartment manager on my side. I ascertain the sister’s name, what vehicles she and her husband drive and which parking spaces are assigned to them. I obtain the sisters phone number, and since neither her and her husband work, they would be home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Step two: I go back to my vehicle, take off my badge and put all the pictures and legal papers out of view. I then approach the woman on the banister not appearing threatening or official – yet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> As I go <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">up the stairs; she is comfortably sitting on the porch not giving me the time of day when I say hello. Luckily, she didn’t dart into the apartment and lock the door. This would be a real bitch because then I’d have to get all mad, bang on the door, get all sweaty, call the police, not to mention sitting on her balcony 24/7, generally being a pain in her ass. Plus, I’ll miss my tee time and that would really make me mad. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> The fact that she did not run tells me I might not get any information but she will at least be attentive. I immediately sensed she felt threatened, probably thought I was from social services inquiring about her daughter. </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can bet your life that Sabina has told her sister to be on the lookout for anyone inquiring about her or her daughter so tread lightly, you don’t want to piss her off. If she is pissed that you showed up, you still have to “talk her down” to get any information. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Your objective is to find her sister and niece, getting them served which forces them to get on a plane, showing up for a court hearing in Missouri in five days. Do not make this woman an enemy. Sometimes it happens, if you use excellent communication along with some verbal tricks, you can get valuable information. Also, in a situation like this, you are vulnerable standing on stairs so be sure to stay on guard as her abusive husband could be in the apartment. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> I didn’t look at this woman directly, just kind of relaxed against the banister, talking in a low boring monotone voice. I tell her my name, and then tell her it is such a nice day sitting on the porch, that I wish I didn’t have to work and could be out playing golf. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see her look at me. I just stand there in a non-threatening way until she says “yea”. Be patient and wait, they will eventually say something. I keep the slow monotone voice telling her that I am sorry she is in the middle of my problem but I need to speak to Sabina. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Then watch for a reaction, stay alert, will she run? Will she call her husband outside to kick your ass? Will she throw you down the stairs? Remember, her sister and niece are on the lam. Don’t take anything for granted just because she is “calm” at the moment. I know she won’t call the police, she has an eviction pending. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> She states Sabina and her are estranged from each other (lie) and she hasn’t seen her sister in months (lie). I ask how Sabina’s daughter Isabel is and she replies ok as far as she knows (lie). Because of the lying, I raised the bar a bit telling her the whole legal situation, giving her the date and time of the court hearing in Missouri, that I already gave the legal papers to her father and that I need to speak to Sabina. I continue to just level with her telling her I spoke to the apartment manager, that I know Sabina and Isabel were here just two days ago. I even told her law enforcement will be contacted, and that four or five investigators will be camped out at this complex for the next few days watching her and looking for Sabina. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> The sister didn’t like this. She calls Sabina leaving a message in another language. I have no idea what she was saying on Sabina’s voicemail but it doesn’t matter again because I got my message across. I told this woman I’ll give Sabina only twenty-four hours to contact me, and if not then I’ll be back with the police. I wish it was that easy.</span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Twenty-four hours go by and no messages. From experience I know the father is talking to the mother, the mother is talking to Sabina, the sister is talking to Sabina, the sister is talking to her husband, the sister is talking to her other sister, and on and on. I have definitely rattled their cages. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> To help avoid Sabina from running again, you have to keep the pressure on. The sister didn’t make sure Sabina called me so now it’s Step three:</span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> In situations like this, if you make a threat, carry it out. On day three, I took the pictures I had of Sabina and her daughter and made MISSING PERSON posters, taping them to apartment doors and vehicles around the sister’s building. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> To really keep the pressure up, I made a phony call to Sabina’s sister’s cell phone leaving a message, “Hey, I live at your apartments and I saw the posters today. I didn’t know your sister and niece are missing, I just saw them a few days ago at your place. Let me know if you want to organize a search party, call me, this is Gloria, Apt. 36.” Of course Sabrina’s sister is not going to call Gloria but she is going to call Sabrina and the entire family will really start freaking out. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> In actions like this all you can do now is have patience and wait for the family to make a move. You have done everything possible within the guidelines of the law. The attorneys know this and respect any advice you give them about the next course of action. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> The court hearing is now two days away in St. Louis and we never heard from Sabrina. The attorney was going to attend the hearing anyway asking for a new hearing date which gives us more time to locate and serve Sabrina. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> On the third day, in the afternoon after the hearing, when I was getting ready to hear the attorney tell me the new hearing date, I realized he was very upbeat – HUH? Well guess what? Sabrina and her daughter, Isabel got on a plane two days after I posted the Missing Child Posters, hired an attorney in St. Louis and showed up for the court hearing! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Sabrina was found in contempt and was not allowed to leave the state until legal papers were drawn up outlining the agreements for custody. The attorney told me Sabrina would never have shown up in court if it wasn’t for all my efforts, that if I didn’t do what I did, this would never gotten resolved and Sabrina would continue to be on the lam. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> The father and daughter are now re-united and there is a custody agreement. If Sabrina were to ever try to take their daughter and run again, then this would be considered a state and federal inter-state amber alert, out of my hands and the FBI takes over. </span></span><br />
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Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-31405318525298118322011-09-20T15:18:00.000-07:002013-09-08T15:33:19.564-07:00WHAT IS A RESTRAINING ORDER?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: blue;">Jake Losh is a contributing writer for the Legwork Process Servers' Blog</span>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In preparation for a post that Christi will put out later, I thought it might be beneficial to discuss what a restraining order is and what it isn't.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Simply put, a restraining order is a court order that either prohibits someone from doing something or requires someone to follow specific rules. If the person violates the conditions of the order, they may be subject to criminal or civil penalties, in other words, they may be required to pay fines or they face arrest and have to serve time in jail. Restraining orders have been made famous in the context of domestic abuse, harassment or stalking cases. In fancy legal-speak, a restraining order is a form of an "injunction". Injunctions are court orders to do or not do specific things (see the similarity?) and you'll often see such orders in situations of patent or copyright infringement or the disclosing of trade secrets. The whole point of injunctions is to "put things back the way they were".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One kind of restraining order is a Temporary Restraining Order. These TROs typically last for less than a month and are designed to "keep things as they are" until a court "hearing" or meeting can be held and a stronger order can be issued. Sometimes these are issued <span style="font-style: italic;">ex parte</span> (pronounced like "ex party", meaning "from or by one party"; gotta love those dead Latin dudes). You might want to have a restraining order done up ex parte so the person you're trying to "restrain" doesn't know you're going to try to restrain them. That probably makes a lot of sense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most states, including California, have other kinds of special restraining orders, such as domestic abuse/violence restraining orders. Such orders will prohibit an abusive person from coming in contact or communicating with you or your children no matter where you all are. Other kinds of orders include emergency protective orders or permanent restraining orders.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is some debate as to whether restraining orders are over-used or abused in the United States. </span><a href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/30/the-high-price-of-restraining-orders/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">David Letterman famously fought a restraining order issued against him 2005</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> which a woman had issued against him, charging him with, "mental cruelty and blaming him for her bankruptcy and sleep deprivation. [She] charged that Letterman — along with purported accomplices Kelsey Grammer, Kathy Lee Gifford, and Regis Philbin — had alternately wooed and rejected her with coded messages that he sent through the TV."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Additionally, even if you have a restraining order, if the person you have it against violates it, you'll still have to call authorities to ensure it is enforced, raising serious questions as to whether they are effective. </span><a href="http://criminal.lawyers.com/Criminal-Law-Basics/Restraining-Orders.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lawyers.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> recommends the following for enforcing a restraining order:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If a restraining order is granted, you should make numerous copies and keep one with you at all times. Also leave a copy of the order at work and your children's school or daycare. An abuser or harasser breaks the law when they don't follow the restraining order's terms, and the police should be called immediately. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, in some cases, having a restraining order placed on a mentally unstable person may lead to greater violence. </span><a href="http://www.google.com/search?sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&site=&source=hp&q=restraining%20order&pbx=1&oq=&aq=&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=restraining+ordhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifer+shooting&pbx=1&oq=restraining+order+shooting&aq=f&aqi=&aql=1&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=51943l51943l6l52408l1l1l0l0l0l0l186l186l0.1lhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif1l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&fp=dc20b2672385f007&biw=1280&bih=870"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A quick Google search for "restraining order shooting"</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> demonstrates just how common such incidents may be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Additional Resources:</span><br />
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<li><a href="http://divorcesupport.about.com/od/abusiverelationships/a/restrain_order.htm">About.com: What is and How to Get a Restraining Order?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://criminal.lawyers.com/Criminal-Law-Basics/Restraining-Orders.html">Lawyers.com article on restraining orders</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-domesticviolence.htm">California Courts Self Help for Domestic Violence</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.saccourt.ca.gov/restraining-orders/domestic-violence.aspx">Superior Court of California Sacramento County page on domestic violence</a></li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-32613174950270395292011-09-15T16:14:00.000-07:002013-09-08T10:35:44.195-07:00SHOULD YOU DATE THIS GUY?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I receive many calls from women asking me to do a background check on a guy they are currently "dating". As much as I love to help, here's a bit of information to save you some time, money and a broken heart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Take note: the fact that you are <em>even </em>asking me to do a background check in the first place, you already have your answer - don't date him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> A sane relationship is simple and easy with no red flags to check out or worry about, so if a woman doubts anything about her man, dump him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> If you still want a background check done, first r</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ead, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hes-Just-That-Into-Understanding/dp/141690977X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318050749&sr=1-1">He's Just Not That Into You</a></em>, by <a href="http://www.gregbehrendt.com/">Greg Behrendt</a> (at all bookstores or on-line, easy to read)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Second, if you read the book and still want a background check done, be honest with yourself and ask "Do I need this drama?".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Thirdly, if you still are not satisfied, call me and I will help you, I do not judge. But you must know, every male I have checked out for you fabulous women has turned out to be exactly what you thought...they are either married, a scam artist or a con or have a criminal record. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Males that didn't fall under the above but are still suspicious or acting weird are covered in the book I mentioned above. A must read. </span>Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-25651910491043298762011-09-06T11:19:00.000-07:002013-09-08T09:41:25.136-07:00WOULD YOU GIVE THIS EX-CON VISITATION RIGHTS?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the light of the recent story involving the child custody case of two-year old Madeleine Samaan Fay, below is another case currently before the court. During this particular custody battle and hearings held, it is obvious that the courts don't know what to do with unstable spouses, it is not their job to predict human behavior. The judge is only allowed to follow the laws on the books and then he hopes for the best, this is not good enough. It is a crap shoot. We need some new laws or policies that protect the children. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Please make any comment or feedback as maybe this will lead to a proactive campaign to get legislative attention. The names have been changed for obvious reasons.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">California Superior Court -</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Trial starts this week for custody and visitation of minor daughter. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John Roberts, 43, </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was released from prison again within the last two years. He was sentenced on June 23, 2005, in Placer County, serving 6-7 years for threats to commit a crime resulting in death against Cari, and her parents. Roberts was sent to prison for threatening to have Cari's father killed at Pelican State Prison, where her father worked, as well as threatening Cari's mother, who at the time worked for Folsom State Prison. Roberts also left death threats to other family members which is on tape and filed with the District Attorney’s office. Roberts was convicted of Penal Code 422, threats to commit a crime resulting in death; and PC 1170.12 (A,D); PC 667 (A1) and PC 12022.1. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since Roberts was released 1-2 years ago, Cari and her daughter, 15, have gone into hiding, in fear of their lives. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cari married John Roberts in November,1996, and during the first few years of marriage, realized her mistake and began enduring a life filled with Robert's conflicts with law enforcement, previous prison incarceration, domestic violence and drug abuse. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April, 2005, Cari was divorced from Roberts and received full legal and physical custody of her daughter and two months later, Roberts was sentenced to prison. The minor child never wanted any association or contact with her Roberts, never wrote a letter and never visited her father in prison. S</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ince this time, Roberts never paid child support and the family has no desire to collect this money, they just want to be left alone. They are afraid Roberts will find them and harm them. There is evidence in the case file that Roberts has stolen the minor child twice and law enforcement was involved. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In March 2009, when Cari started receiving notices of hearings regarding child visitation from Roberts (mailed to her parents residence), she filed for a permanent restraining order to stop Roberts and his attorney from trying to find her and her daughter. In these subsequent hearings, Roberts and his attorney have been given permission by the Judge to hire private investigators to locate Cari anyway and even granted this ex-con permission to subpoena her parents phone records looking for phone numbers and/or calls made to Cari by her parents. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Cari filed Declarations to the court for each of these hearings, stating repeatedly she will not allow her or her daughter to show up for any court hearings as they are afraid of Roberts. Cari believes Roberts only wants to use the judicial system to harass her family and force his daughter to see him. Cari and her daughter participated in a court mandated mediation where this mediator confirmed their fear and confirmed the daughter wants nothing to do with her father. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Besides the death threats, over the years Roberts anti-social behavior has taken a toll on the family. This includes instances of borrowing a family car, "to look for a job", when actually he was gone all day and in the middle of the night, the Sacramento City police called stating Roberts needed a ride from the police station. Roberts confessed he was making a drug deal and some “men” took him and the car but he was able to "get away". Two or three days later, the police department called stating they found the car, that Roberts had given the car to some drug dealers because he had a drug bill with them and that was the only way he could pay them. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prior to 1996, Roberts kept losing his jobs and engaging in more illegal activity, one time some men kidnapped him and beat him up. When the family went to pick up Roberts, he was found in a cane field facing drug dealers. These drug dealers threatened Cari telling her if Roberts tried to sell drugs in their territory again they would kill him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Through the years Roberts was arrested for possession of meth and under the influence. He took money from family banking accounts, bought drugs, then the court ordered he attend drug reversion, which he never finished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roberts assaulted Cari three times by either pushing her into a hallway cabinet, or choking her and throwing his wallet in the back of my head, causing minor injuries. After contacting WEAVE, Cari finally started divorce proceedings. He was arrested a while later on a domestic violence call when the police found out he had a warrant for not attending his court order drug reversion program.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2001, another incident included a SWAT showing up at Cari's residence where Roberts was arrested for extortion regarding some business deal. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> Around this time he</span> beat up a neighbor, and at different times he would lock up Cari in her home taking away her car and telephone. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Around </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">November 2001, Roberts took his daughter out of school, against a court order, and took her to a physician so he could accuse Cari of molesting her daughter. The police were then involved, all charges were unfounded and the matter dropped, leaving the daughter traumatized again.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">June 2001 to January 2002, Roberts called CPS at least three times making false allegations concerning the treatment of his daughter. Specifically, on December 25, 2001, the charges were found to be false. The police told Roberts that he is to stop making these false reports or he would be arrested.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">In the summer of 2002, Roberts refused to obey a court order regarding visitation, and failed to return his daughter home. Cari again went to court obtaining an emergency court order, then the police went to Roberts home and picked up the children.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Spring 2003, Roberts walked up to Cari's car with his daughter in it, threatening to kill her while pushing the car door and yelling. Her daughter was screaming and crying. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Around the spring of 2004, Roberts refused again to abide by a court order regarding returning his daughter after visitation. The daughter called her mother saying they are at a meth house where her father left her alone while he and his girlfriend went to a casino. Roberts also made c</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">onstant phone calls day and night to speak to his daughter, and when the phone was un-plugged, he would call the police and demand a welfare check resulting in this incident being just another false allegation made by Roberts. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">April 2005, Cari was divorced with full legal and physical custody and in June 2005, Roberts was sentenced to prison. The daughter wishes to never have any contact with her father again. She</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> never wrote a letter and never visited her father in prison. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roberts never paid child support and the family has no desire to collect this money, they just want to be left alone. They are afraid he will find them and harm them. There is evidence in the case file that Roberts has stolen the minor child twice and law enforcement was involved. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Why would the court go to this length of “justice” for an ex-con who threatened to kill his daughters family, who never paid child support and who has a long history of endangering his daughter? Courts have no choice; there is no law in their favor to do otherwise.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So, Roberts is awarded a trial this week. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Justice in family law continues to be a crap shoot. How many other families out there face harm and brutality after courts issue custody orders? How many children have been killed in the last year by a disgruntled spouse who lost custody? Who would approve a restraining order taking away custody from a father who gets wind of this order while he is actually at the time, with his daughter? (Fay case) This was just plain sad timing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">UPDATE:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The Judge, during the trial stated to Roberts (who several times interrupted the Judge and stated "this court is a joke") that he cannot extradite Cari and her daughter as this does not follow under the court's laws regarding family law". It was ruled that the mediation report stays as an order meaning Roberts cannot get his daughters contact information from the court, that this is to remain confidential, but the Judge did tell Roberts he could write letters to his daughter via an attorney, but warned him that if Roberts hires PI's to try to find his daughter, this could result in stalking, and that Roberts already has three strikes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So today there was Justice against this monster. The family will have to continue to keep their guard up in case Roberts snoops around looking for them or if luck has it - maybe he'll just do another dumb thing and go back to prison.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a thought how about a law with THREE STRIKES if a person endangers his child with an unsafe environment of drugs, domestic violence and repeated criminal activity? He then loses all custody and visitation permanently. I like it. </span></span><br />
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Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-38194144562038977362011-09-01T15:38:00.000-07:002013-09-08T15:28:24.887-07:00WRITERS NOTES #5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3KTxZg_MZziQP33Ozz3QQGCiLHXtvXl6ad2XgFILM65EKpz5FAYvwRccGYmnmoc4-DSbJc_TpYND25o5RUqNt59-SuwKJSmDrDBAMSjev14s2hVV4KgavnuCcqWCzJAZgmnyHr9WmsQ/s1600/March+09+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3KTxZg_MZziQP33Ozz3QQGCiLHXtvXl6ad2XgFILM65EKpz5FAYvwRccGYmnmoc4-DSbJc_TpYND25o5RUqNt59-SuwKJSmDrDBAMSjev14s2hVV4KgavnuCcqWCzJAZgmnyHr9WmsQ/s320/March+09+022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Go the extra mile. Always give the client more than they expect. Don't give them a fair exchange, give them exchange over and beyond the fair exchange. Be distinctive, not a regular process server. Be indispensable, not just a robot. Do something that makes your client remember you.</span>Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-33186443593945319072011-08-07T13:09:00.000-07:002013-09-08T10:42:58.873-07:00MOTHER ON THE LAM<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> Ex-spouses from time to time, decide to take, steal or kidnap their child and move them from state to state, even if their child custody issue forbids it. Unless there is an order from some court jurisdiction signed by a judge specifically allowing this, the ex-spouse is in contempt. From my experience in such matters, it appears that the worried parent whose child was taken can</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">’</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">t just locate the child and take them back home. That would not be an easy or smart way to approach things anyway. Even though the parent or guardian might already have a previous court sanctioned order regarding child visitation, this does not hold up if the child is kidnapped, and as in most cases, taken out of the state. Amber Alert has certain criteria before issuing any kidnapping alerts. Some child abductions or kidnappings fall under the Amber Alert system right away, such as situations where law enforcement feels the kidnapper has a criminal history or extenuating circumstances, and then anything goes. But in most cases, it</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">’</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">s just a pissed off ex-spouse or relative taking the child, and the parent has to obtain court orders to serve on the abducting parent, in order to have his/her child returned home.</span></span></v:path></v:stroke><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> This particular case starts on, what I thought was, a usual day in the spring of 1998. I’m sitting at my desk, and I receive a phone call from Oklahoma from a Sergeant in the US Army, who is also represented by a law firm I</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">’</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">ve done work for in the past.</span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> This Sergeant has not seen his five year old daughter for four years even though he has paid child support each and every month for those four years. He pays the child support payments to the Dept. of Social Services/or some welfare agency in Oklahoma and this agency passes the money on to the mother-on-the-lam. Even though he has been paying child support, the agency WILL NOT tell him where his daughter is even though he has a court order for visitation. The mother took the daughter from Oklahoma four years ago and has been on the lam ever since. The mother receives welfare, social security, disability and child support payments wherever she moves in the US after she registers with the local agencies, but they will not tell the father where his child is.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> The Sergeant and his attorney need to serve the mother with two court orders from the State of Oklahoma and Texas. He spent thousands of dollars retaining attorneys from both states. The contempt order from Oklahoma states the mother is in violation of inter-state transfer, since this was the primary residence of the child, and the contempt order from Texas also states the mother is in violation of inter-state transfer since this was the state where the child was last seen.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> For the last four years, this father has hired private investigators to track down (unsuccessfully) the mother and daughter in four different states, so far that would be: Oklahoma, Texas, Hawaii, and Washington. Guess where now? California.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> Can you imagine this father, month after month, year after year, state after state, hiring one PI after another, paying one PI after another, going to court for new hearing dates in two states year after year, writing those child support payments each month,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>getting nothing in return? Not one ounce of assistance from any state or county agency. To make it worse, the Sergeant would be thrown in jail if he stopped paying his child support.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> The father tells me he has a new address in Sacramento for his ex-wife and daughter (I never ask where people get their information, best not to know) in a suburb near Sacramento. All I had to do was serve the contempt orders on this mother/ex-wife. Seems simple, I’ll just stake out the place and serve her when she comes out of her apartment. After receiving the thick stack of legal papers and orders from the father by overnight mail, I venture out to this apartment complex to easily serve these papers, and then go play golf. After I serve these papers, its then up to the father along with law enforcement to step in. But when I did arrived at the residence I found the apartment empty, all the curtains were open, there was no furniture, and place was <span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">cleaned out. Uh oh… she’s on the lam again.</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Now you would think the immediate solution to this is to get assistance or any information from the apartment manager but this is usually not workable. You cannot approach them directly asking if they know where their tenant went.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="color: blue;"> </span></span></span><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">HINT: What you do is walk into the rental office, find the Manager and say, “Hi, my name is Christi, from LEGWORK, we’re getting ready to go to trial and we lost a material witness. We think she died, can you verify this for me?” With this approach they instantly have sympathy for you and will help you. If the manager wants specifics about the legal case, just make up a story. Here is the one I always use and it works: “Back in 1997, at the corner of Fair Oaks and Sierra, two young children were hit by a car (interject quickly that the children are ok) and this mother was a witness to this accident, that she lived in the area and has now moved, that this case isn’t settling, we are going to trial and we need to find her.” Blah… blah...</span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> This manager informs me the mother and daughter moved just two days earlier with another woman, her partner. She also told me they moved in a hurry, just packed up and left in a few hours. The manager had no forwarding address but if she did, she would have given it to me. Enlisting any kind of authoritarian attitude with apartment managers does not work.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> I have a real problem now as there is no information to track her with. This woman has been on the lam for so long, she could have gone anywhere. But luckily for me, knowing from experience people like her actually plan their next move well in advance. She knows where she is going before she splits, this is figured out carefully. The main reason I know this is because if she wants to keep getting all the free government assistance money and child support, she has to let these people know in advance so her welfare checks are not stopped or lost. You can bet she wants to make sure she gets her money. Chances are pretty good that she is going to let the local post office know her new forwarding address.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> Did you know Process Servers, after filling out a US Postal address form can get a forwarding address on anyone? You have to have a valid process serving license and show the Postmaster the legal papers. This<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>information is held very confidential by the Postal Service and cannot be misused. If the US Post Office ever decided to stop allowing us to obtain forwarding addresses on people, this would really cripple our profession.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> The next day I filled out the Postal form for this mother and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>submitted this request to the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Postmaster. It turns out she didn’t put in a forwarding address - as yet. Well, this is a real bummer, now I have to tell the father we have no where to go. I thanked the Postmaster and started to leave and he yelled after me, “She does have a PO BOX here though, for the last 9 months.” I stood frozen, said “Thank God”. </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> Whenever you rent a Post Office Box at a post office, you fill out a rental form. You cannot rent a box unless you put down the physical address where you live.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> The Postmaster showed me the form this woman filled out. It listed the old apartment address that is now empty, so the mother has not turned in a new address as yet. What I can do is sit on the Post Office box, and when she comes to pick up her mail or government assistance checks, I can serve her. I find out the mail is delivered to the mailboxes by 2 PM each day so for the next four days I watch. I have a decent<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>description of her, so by waiting outside the post office or even watching for her to go to her actual PO Box, and take out her mail, chances are excellent I can catch her. In these situations rearrange your life so you can sit and watch all day. Maybe she only picks up her mail in the morning so you vary the hours and hope for the best.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #666699; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> <span style="color: blue;"> HINT: A good tip is to eat pancakes when you know you have to sit for a long time by yourself. Did you know pancakes are the best stakeout food? They are full of carbohydrates, you won’t get hungry for a long time, and if you drink nothing or very little, there is no concern about going to the bathroom. If you have a two man team, just sitting and staking out someone, then the food and drink rules don’t need to apply, most of the time anyway</span></span><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">.</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> After two days there was no sign of her.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span lang="en-US" style="color: #666699; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> <span style="color: blue;">HINT: Ask the postmaster to put a new rental box application form in her box, that asks her to fill it out with her new physical address. There is no way the mother is going to know the “jig” is up as it is natural for the post office to ask for this information.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> On the fourth day, I luck out. The postmaster shows me the new rental box application form that the mother filled out. We have no idea how this mother got past us when she came to the post office, we believe now she did not come in herself, but has been sending someone else or only gets her mail once a week. I now have a new physical residence address for her in Sacramento.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> Now that I have located this mother-on-the-lam, I told the client he could drive or catch a plane from Oklahoma, so he can be here to see his daughter. I do not give him any guarantees of course, as I never know what the police or law enforcement agencies are going to do or who is going to have jurisdiction.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> Now this can get real nasty, and as it turns out, it does. You must have certainty on what you are doing so I recommend many years of experience and/or have a private investigator with you. Only experience can give you the gift of behavioral insight to how people will react in certain situations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> So to re-cap, we have a mother who is on-the-lam again, hiding a young daughter from her father, still collecting government money, she also knows we are after her, (she can’t be </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">that </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">dumb) plus she gets the continual luxury of being <span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">protected by several government<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>agencies. This is kind of insane.</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> My instinct tells me the mother, at her new address, is not going to answer the door for anyone – she is going to hide in the house forever before she will give up her daughter. People on the lam set up their lives in such a way that one would have to sit on her home day and night until she comes out of the house. My past experience and current instinct tell me this woman informed all her neighbors that her “ex-husband is trying to steal her daughter” making up other lies and stories. It is certain she told all her neighbors to be on the lookout.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> For this scenario, I did not sit and watch this residence. I have sat for hours and hours staking people out, and over the years I became wiser. I’d rather cause excitement for this type of situation, it will get the job done faster.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> Here’s an important fact: Because of the severity of these papers, even if I did sit on her house and serve her, she could and probably would just ignore the papers, throw them away saying, “I never got served”, which just adds more time and legal hassle for our<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>client, and he doesn’t get to see his daughter any sooner. As most legal contempt papers involve time constraints, and if we did not serve her in time or she did not comply by a certain date, our client has to start all over again. She gets in no trouble at this point with the courts, and it’s another $1000 or so for our client to get these contempt papers re-issued. It was best to have law enforcement get involved from the start so they can </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">order her to comply immediately.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I decided I am going to make her come to me and prepare for the possibility she is going to kick, scream and yell, so you must be prepared for psychotic behavior.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> So I decide to create havoc in her neighborhood and flush her out. I predict she is going to call 911, telling the police I am trying to kidnap her child. (instead of telling them that she is the one who </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">did </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">the kidnapping in the first place). Believe me, police just come when they hear the words CHILD and KIDNAP. Children are top priority with 911 operators. Their response is many loud sirens with many police/law enforcement vehicles.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Also, when the mother calls 911, she also gets the deaf relay 911 system. At this time she can request a lawyer, social worker and interpreter, paid for by our tax dollars. I wouldn’t mind if she wasn’t breaking the law. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> I went to the new address and watched her house for a few minutes noticing a van in the driveway with a bumper sticker symbolizing the deaf symbol meaning peace/love in sign-language. I knew I had the right place. I then drove around the neighborhood seeing what entrances and exits there were, so I knew where the police might come in and where I could sit and wait for them. I also took a few minutes to straighten up a little bit, clean up my truck, take out my professional licenses in case I have to throw it at them when they are ready to shoot me, brush my hair, put on lipstick.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #666699; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span style="color: blue;">Hint: You always want to look cute for mug shots.</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> First step of my plan was to get the mother out of the house. I went directly to her neighbor across the street and made up a story. A woman answers the door, and I am acting nervous on purpose. I want to make it obvious to her that I am lying. I don’t want her to believe me, that’s the point. I want her to take action, get all upset, make calls, call the ex-wife/mother; spread the word around there is someone looking for a little girl to “kidnap”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> I tell the neighbor “Hi, how you all doing today?” I give her my real business card, being upfront since the police are coming anyway. I tell her my phony story: I am working on a legal case (her eyes start bulging instantly), telling her we lost track of a witness years earlier who witnessed a vehicle accident around the corner. This witness is a mother who is deaf, and has a little girl. “That’s all we know." SLAM BAM goes the door. Step One completed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> I then walk slowly back to my truck while this woman watches me. I purposely back into her driveway so she can see my license plate and write it down. Not too difficult since the plate says LEGWORK. I stay there for a couple of seconds then slowly drive down the street and park. I get out of my truck and walk to the corner. As I look down the street, the neighbor leaves her house and runs across the street to the mother’s house. A few minutes later, neighbors start coming out, standing on the lawn and sidewalk, looking around and watching. <span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">I am sure someone is calling 911. Pretty soon I have several neighbors outside. Step Two completed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I leave the neighbors and drove my vehicle to park it behind some bushes on a frontage road, I clocked it at six minutes and here they come, five patrol cars, sirens blaring. They all went straight down the main road, then divided up. I could see them driving around street to street looking for me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> I decided to put the police out of their misery. I drove right up to the mother’s house and parked in front. I had three police cars pull up behind me and two in front.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #666699; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span style="color: blue;"> HINT: Never get out of your vehicle in this kind of situation. I just waited while the two police officers in front of me ran my plate as a security measure, while the officers in back of me turn off their sirens but kept their flashing lights on.</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> All of a sudden all the flashing lights went out. While two of the officers left in their patrol cars, three police officers in back of me got out of their vehicles, with their hands on their holsters and this<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>actually frazzled me for a second. They walked up on both sides of my vehicle and without having them ask, I gave them my two licenses, vehicle registration and my insurance card. Then all the officers start making one phone call after another. Were they calling Department Motor Vehicles? Or calling my insurance company or government licensing bureaus or the City Hall parking ticket bureau <span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">or the USGA for my golf handicap? This took several minutes and the suspense drove me crazy. Finally, one of the officers told me to get out of my vehicle. As I did, I grabbed the thick stack of legal papers and followed him to the rear of my vehicle where the other two police officers were waiting. They handed my licenses back to me while they put their guns back in their holsters. Is this called dodging a bullet? Think so. </span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> The main officer, LT. Roberts, asked me what this was about. I had made several copies of these papers previously so the police could all have their own copy keeping us all on the same page (another good hint to remember). I handed the officers their copies and let them read. I kept my mouth shut while they read and watched all the neighbors talking to each other. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a police officer walking up and entering the neighbors’ house where I had previously been.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> The officers took even more time reading the legal papers, then making more phone calls and I caught some bits and pieces of their dialogue: they were talking to their superiors. When the officers were done with their phone calls, they appeared to be waiting for something while watching me. I did not ask them what was happening, not one question. They were waiting for something and I decided to just wait it out. Besides, not like I had choices here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> Around one hour later, while standing and waiting with the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>police officers, I finally realized what we were waiting for. Out of the neighbors house walking toward <span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">us is the police officer who went there earlier, the mother flanked by a Social Worker, an Attorney, an Interpreter and, believe it or not (and this got me fuming), a bodyguard! I could not stand my silence anymore so made a comment to the police officers that this scene is ridiculous. I could tell by their body language they agreed but are not allowed to voice any opinion, god forbid, who wants a lawsuit slapped on them from a deaf woman? I mean look at the backup she has!</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> After two hours of this, the mother has now gathered her “equal rights” entourage, comes up to me, just staring at me with scorn and hatred. I gave her back a smile to piss her off. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #666699; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span style="color: blue;">Hint: Smile - it confuses people.</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I immediately explain the papers to her, reading them slowly and reading more than I needed to. The interpreter is signing so fast for the mother I was getting dizzy. The mother then starts signing back to the interpreter, and all of a sudden she screams and lunges for me. The two officers intervene ordering the bodyguard to control their client. I explain to the mother what laws she has violated, the date and time of the hearing in Oklahoma and what court she has to report to. I told her she could no longer run from this situation; she is in contempt and must report to the Oklahoma court with her daughter. The interpreter relayed all this to her. Just for the hell of it, I kept reading the entire first page of the contempt order, going on and on when I didn’t really have to. I just wanted to drive home the main point that the <span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">running and hiding stops here. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Finally, mother resigned to the fact that she had to succumb, she had no choice. She calmed down and step aside from us to have a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>discussion with her attorney. After a few minutes the attorney stated they will co-operate. It was up to the courts now except to pray she did not flee once again before the hearing in Oklahoma.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;"> Just one more kicker - while the police and I are walking back to our vehicles, the woman’s attorney yells, “Who is paying for my client’s bodyguard and interpreter?” The three of us freeze and sigh - </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">REALLY</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; language: en-US; line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Verdana; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-currency-font-family: Verdana; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Verdana; mso-default-font-family: Verdana; mso-greek-font-family: Verdana; mso-hebrew-font-family: Verdana; mso-latin-font-family: Verdana; mso-latinext-font-family: Verdana; mso-thai-font-family: Verdana;">??? We slowly turn around, and I was going to rip her head off, but one of the officers puts his arm up to block me, then states to the attorney, “send us a bill”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<v:line from="43.2pt,728pt" id="_x0000_s1039" o:cliptowrap="t" strokecolor="#33f [5]" strokeweight="4pt" style="mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 2.88pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 2.88pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 2.88pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 2.88pt; mso-wrap-edited: f; position: absolute; visibility: visible; z-index: 8;" to="568.8pt,728pt"> <v:stroke> <o:left color2="white [7]" color="black [0]" v:ext="view"> <o:top color2="white [7]" color="black [0]" v:ext="view"> <o:right color2="white [7]" color="black [0]" v:ext="view"> <o:bottom color2="white [7]" color="black [0]" v:ext="view"> <o:column color2="white [7]" color="black [0]" v:ext="view"> </o:column></o:bottom></o:right></o:top></o:left></v:stroke> <v:shadow color="#e9e5dc [4]"> .</v:shadow></v:line>Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054812711727341475.post-77294543007918565892011-08-05T18:54:00.000-07:002013-09-08T15:21:51.063-07:00WRITERS NOTES #9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OftfFbHtf_c/UeiZCAvo9UI/AAAAAAAAAMU/id-_JiFjoO0/s1600/Law+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OftfFbHtf_c/UeiZCAvo9UI/AAAAAAAAAMU/id-_JiFjoO0/s400/Law+Pic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Process Servers must know the laws that pertain to this profession. As you can see by my case stories, I knew what I could do legally to effect service. I knew what my boundaries were - and yes, as a maverick I got inventive. The following groups are the ones I rely on for educational seminars and new laws regarding our profession. Anything you need to know or need to learn can be found by associating with these groups. They are experts. They are the best!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Process Server Institute</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.psinstitute.com/" target="_blank">www.psinstitute.com</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">California Association of Legal Support Professionals</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.calspro.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">www.calspro.org</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">National Association of Process Servers</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.napps.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">www.napps.org</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />Christi Vorsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11355872942605914782noreply@blogger.com0