No Further Questions ...

The internet is unquestionably a remarkable educational tool, providing access to a universe of information. My limited exploration prior to and as part of 27 Things has proven this to be true. Yet, to accurately utilize much of this information, it is necessary to know what is sought to be found or proven and, ancillary to that, what questions to ask that will facilitate understanding

I daresay that there are fewer areas of interest more susceptible to the adage "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" than law. Most people at some time or another have had contact with our legal system or, worse, have watched a movie or television program about lawyers and thus have the equivalent of a degree. And based upon that equivalency, now drone on at great length about it; its procedures, its application, its inequities.



My son is now experiencing this phenomenon. In response to pressure from an apparently attractive female renter, his landlord is claiming that he has committed waste upon the rental property and has become a nuisance because of his failure to clean the bathroom. He is, understandably, upset about the matter, contending that this uproar is over a little hair in the drain and, perhaps, towels on the floor.


I have chosen to use this episode as a lesson in life and the law for him. First, this has little to do with whatever he has actually done; it has to do with the fact that the female renter wants additional space and privacy and is prevailing upon the landlord to yield to her desires. Supply and demand economics crosses many boundaries.


Equally important, it highlights the distinction between English as commonly used and the law's usage. A cursory review of Black's Law Dictionary will make such clear, in mind boggling detail. Waste and nuisance have specific legal meanings, apart from ordinary usage but this is usually lost upon those who throw such words around with reckless abandon. This brings up the question of those who are not devoid of "reck" but that will wait for a later analysis.



An act or the occasional person may be a nuisance but not such as to rise to the level of being legally actionable. For those bold, or foolish, enough to actually go forward and make such allegations within a courtroom, it is often a financial shock to discover the difference when their contentions are dismissed or disbelieved due to lack of legal evidence.



Where does all this fit within the library experience? The answer is often. Many customers come to the library because "they" told them that a specific form or document was available at the library. These customers know this to be true because their friend obtained this form at a library and won his/her case, had her/his criminal record expunged, received custody of his/her children, had her/his ticket dismissed, ad nauseum. When told that there is no such form or document or that such may apply only to another jurisdiction, customers will gaze with a "how did you ever get this job" look and repeat, this time louder, their specific requests. "Just go to this website", is often included in the litany of directions. When told there is no such website, the conversation usually goes downhill - despite serious efforts to assist those who have little to no idea what they really want.

The internet, and its world of information, is a pathway to knowledge. It is not magical and it requires the ability to discern its limitations as well as the skills to apply its teachings.