The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-12-23
DAMAGE SUIT LAWYERS.
CMemphis Commercial-Appea1)
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A philosophic member of the legal
profession and one whose views on
men and events are usually sound
AMI well worthy Of respect has re
marked
When get rich, I viii erect a
monument to the damage-sut lawyer.
He is the peoples protector against
the strength Of monster corporations
inadequate Of course, nevertheless ne
stands as a menace to all who invade
the peoples liberties.
Tt i. needless to say that this COM
mandatory utterance included only
such lawyers as cOnfnei themselves
to what is known as the ethical and
legitimate practice of the profession
There was no intention of commemo-
rating the memory of the ambulance
chasers" nor of paying respect to the
stirrers up of legal strife, who hunt
fees through the sacrifice of profes
sional probity, a nuisance to all going
concerns and usually an expensive
calamity to deceived clients.
Damage suits legitimately given
into the hands of lawyers who are
jealous Of the honor of the profession
and who preserve it's high standing a
all hazards undoubtedly have a ten
dency to restrain corporations from
encrOachments upon popular rights.
They also protect the peoples liber-
ties. aEi bring about that just com
pensation which increases in both
plaintiff and defendant the respect
which all should entertain for the law.
The lawyer who handles cases of this
kind, after this fashion. may well
enough be reaarded as a champion Of
the people, and his type is well worthy
to receive the commemorative monu-
ment.
But that other class, commonly
known as the shyster: whose dream
of bliss is calamity 10 his neighbor
and whose daily hope is a distressing
accident 10 his fellowman who fol
lows the black plumes of tragedy with
the shark-lke expectation of feasting
where there is pain and agony. is not
only no protection to the PEOPLE, but
is a positive menace to The popular
rights it pr5tends to preserve.
Damage suits arc like other things.
Too much familiarity breeds con-
tempt If they are brought upon
every transaction. with no regard for
law, nor respect for profit, they con-
taminate and work injury to such rs
may be meritorious. They cry wolf
when there is no VOLT and the result
is the peoples rights are jeOpardized
by the falsehOOd, just as surely as
were the lives of the sheep in the pas
ture.
Il matters not whether this jeOp-
ardy appears in a more strenuous Op-
position on the part of the Defendants
or whether advantage is taken of that
corruption which the constant pur-
suit of illegitimate gain is sure to en-
gender. TIE result is the same-the
cause Of the people is injured and
their rights curtailed.
Courts, therefore, do an excellent
work in making warfare aginst law
yers Of this class. They encourage
suits when there should be no suits:
they stimulate anger and passion for
imaginary wrongs, and when their vic
tins are. seething with this kind of
intemperance they are adroitly led
into the crooked and criminal path
of manufacturing testimony.
To Gust from the profession the
shyster would be a blessing to the
people as well as the courts, but we
fear it is the ''iridescent dream.
Nevertheless every effort in this direc-
ton is a good effort, and if finally the
profession succeeds in putting a grave
stone over the shyster, we viii Join
hands with the people in erecting a
tall shaft to the honor Of the legiti-
mate damage-suit lawyer.