Subject: Support for Public-Domain Citation System Date: Sat, 8 Mar 97 16:56:23 UT From: "Peter L. Edwards" To: citation@teo.uscourts.gov I want to register my strong support for a public-domain citation system. Under the current system, large firms have a tremendous and unfair advantage because they can afford to pay for the exorbitantly-priced electronic access to court decisions offered by the existing providers. True, sole practitioners and small firms can always use public libraries, but this is woefully inefficient in today's electronic age. I have no problem with paying Westlaw or LEXIS for true value added, and I do pay for it when I have no alternative. But most of the time, all I want is the text of a decision -- which is indisputably in the public doman and is in fact available on the Internet. Having received a pertinent decision in this manner, would it not be ridiculous to say that I have to incur additional cost and expense just to be able to cite the case? In the interest of making cost-effective legal services available to ordinary people, the judiciary should take this one, small step. It will make a big difference. Peter L. Edwards Attorney at Law 370 17th Street, Suite 4250 Denver, CO 80202-5678 Phone: 303 623-2600 Fax: 303 623-2467 E-mail: EdwardsP@msn.com