Author: Time Rice <rice0009@mc.duke.edu> at -Internet
Date: 3/11/0 01:04 PM
Priority: Normal
BCC: citation at AO-OCPPO
To: citation@ao.uscourts.gov at -Internet
Subject: West Law Numbering System

To Whom It May Concern,

     I was shocked to learn the depth of West Laws strangle hold on a 
public database of documents. For any one company to have that much 
control over documents that are REQUIRED READING for every legal 
professional and private citizen alike is unacceptable. Court 
documents are public, by law. I, as a private citizen, should have 
free access to them. They effect my life, they govern what may happen 
to me in court some day, and I am held responsible for knowing the 
law (ignorance is NOT an excuse.) Why should I be required to PAY 
someone $4 PER MINUTE for a search of PUBLIC documents? If the 
documents are public domain, the numbering/indexing system should 
also be public domain.

Timothy R. Rice (John Q. Public)
Network Systems Analyst
Department of Medicine
Duke University Medical Center