Everyone goes sometime

Earlier this week, I received another death threat.  I was debating writing this post but figured I'd do it now in case I'm not around to do so later.  Thing is, I get these threats every now and then from people who get mad that I can't/won't give them legal advice.  Most times the people are just blowing off steam or don't have the cojones to follow through with the threat.  Thing is, you work with the public long enough and you can see in their eyes that it won't be long before it all hits the fan.

It all started with a family law matter.  Seems soon-to-be-ex-wife came in the library a while back.  She was looking for information about child support and custody so I suggested she take a look at

• California Family Law: Practice and Procedure (Lexis; Vol. 2)
• Summary of California Law (West; Vol 10)
• California Child & Spousal Support (CEB)
• Modern Child Custody Practice (Lexis)

This is what I do.  I help people find what they need to help their cases go forward.  Thing is when money is involved, people freak out.  I mean, they FREAK the freak out.  Doesn't matter if it's a family law matter, someone dies (probate), someone won a lawsuit (civil), or someone won the lottery - if there is money to be had, people freak out to get a cut or avoid paying out a dime.

Anyway, apparently soon-to-be-ex-wife took the resources I suggested and prepared her case against soon-to-be-ex-husband.  Come her day in court, soon-to-be-ex-husband is absolutely floored when the court grants soon-to-be-ex-wife's request for child support and custody and demands to know how she got so smart.  Soon-to-be-ex-wife smugly tells soon-to-be-ex-husband that the tall, bow tie wearing guy at the law library helped her make him look like a fool in court (I mean, really?!?  If you're going to brag - leave me out of it!).  Apparently, soon-to-be-ex-husband didn't like being made to look foolish in court and eventually found his way over to my library fuming mad, stood as tall as his 5-foot frame could stand and informed me that, well,...  

So now I'm in the market for some personal protection - for all that will do me.  Bottom line: if you need help with all things legal research, I'm your man.  Just, please, if you're going to brag about how smart you got (with my help), have the decency to leave my name (or description) out of your gloating.