Bar News - June 20, 2003
Lawyers Can Ease Strains on Court Staff
WHEN RESOURCES ARE stretched due to inadequate court funding and staffing, civility and professionalism become more important than ever. Merrimack County Superior Court Clerk William McGraw at a recent Merrimack County Bar meeting suggested ways lawyers can help.
Make pleadings lean and clean
- Be direct and succinct in drafting; what do you want and why?
- Include proposed orders.
- Include your phone number in pleadings.
- Leave out unnecessary documents or verbiage.
- Provide a clear, explanatory cover letter.
- File on time.
- Prepare necessary court forms.
- Make prayers for relief clear and specific; ONE request per paragraph.
Communicate with your opponent
- Attempt to resolve discovery and other issues before filing a motion.
- When filing a necessary "assented to" motion to continue, include dates for rescheduling that are convenient to both you and your opponent.
Communicate with the court
- Bring your calendar to structuring and dispositional conferences.
- Limit ex parte requests to true emergencies (see newly revised RSA 458:16).
- Let us know as soon as a case or issue has been settled.
- Let us know when you don’t plan to attend a hearing because service hasn’t been made.
- Call the court after consulting with opposing counsel to see if a minor scheduling adjustment would eliminate the need to file a motion to continue.
- Let the court know if delays in processing orders are causing a true emergency for your client.
- But don’t call the court unnecessarily.
Above all, be reasonable and pleasant.
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