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LEGAL ABUSE SYNDROME
By Karin Huffer M.S., MFT
 Karin Huffer |
The book, Legal Abuse Syndrome written by Karin Huffer is the result of her experiences for over twenty years as a marriage and family counselor in private practice. What is unique about this book is that it addresses the victims of legal abuse from a psychological therapeutic perspective. The objective is to move the victim beyond their predicament into positive action and thinking. Ms. Huffer illustrates the abuses with the cases of seven victims of Legal Abuse Syndrome, detailing their pain and suffering and the various stages of the therapy they have undergone for recovery of their emotional health.
Ms. Huffer found that many victims of the legal system suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She identified this as Legal Abuse Syndrome, brought on by the abusive and protracted litigation, prevalent in our courts. According to Ms. Huffer you may be suffering from Legal Abuse Syndrome if you feel deeply disillusioned and oppressed as a result of your experience with the legal system; if you feel you were frustrated in obtaining justice; if you feel your dreams and plans for your life were torn from you by a system that is supposedly there to protect your rights and property; if you fear that the system will defeat you at every turn and there is nothing you can do about it, and if you feel that you have been victimized several times over, by the perpetrators, by lawyers, judges, bailiffs and other court personnel. As a consequence you may suffer from tension and anxiety, recurring nightmares you may feel emotionally an physically exhausted, numb, disconnected and vulnerable.
A central point of Ms. Huffer’s book is that the victims in America are not only assaulted by crime, but also by the abuses of power and authority administered by tax dollars intended to provide due process of law for the protection of civil rights. Ms. Huffer observes that not only does the justice system move slowly, but delays are used as strategy by attorneys to weaken their opposition economically and emotionally and to provide hefty fees for attorneys.
Ms. Huffer notes that when courts fail as a consequence of officially sanctioned wrongdoing it leaves victims and vigilantes in its trail. The rage of these victims accumulates when they are not provided a satisfying place to turn to. She concludes that the enormous betrayals and inefficiencies that make up bureaucratic post-crime experiences are literally attacking the emotional health of the nation.
She recommends that the community of American citizens adopt the following:
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Oppression and abuse of power are injurious to the health of the victims. Domination by abusers of bureaucratic power threatens the very functionality of the public and private sections in our country. |
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Legal Abuse Syndrome is available from The Idaho Observer for $20.00 + $4.00 S&H = $24.00. Click here
LEGAL ABUSE
SYNDROME, Kerin
Huffer M.S., MFT., Fulkort Press
Email - fulkort@aol.com
WARNING: Protracted litigation can be hazardous to your health.
Legal abuses are invisible to the average citizen, are found readily in Legal Abuse Syndrome victims' assaults and lance the heart of a healthy society. Justice substantially validates the worth of the citizen and reaffirms his positive social identity. More and more, crime is being recognized as a major health problem. In a climate where it is predicted that every citizen will be a victim of violent or nonviolent crime at some point in his life, the future will be teeming with psycholegal issues. Four attitudes need to be adopted by the community of American citizens to insure healing from Legal Abuse Syndrome.
Abuse of Power
Oppression and abuse of power are injurious to the health of victims. Domination by abusers of bureaucratic power threatens the very functionality of the public and private sectors in our country. (Beguai).
Victims and Volunteers
Victims are not self-interested, narcissistic folks who sit around and wallow in their losses. They are courageous individuals who face their pain and care to right the wrongs. They participate in the collision of evil and good as it is classically intended in order to achieve balance. Denial is popular, but far less responsible.
Lying Judges, Prosecutors and Public Officials
Trust is a social staple that must be protected just as earth and water be protected to provide for survival. When trust is damaged, the community suffers and society as a whole will eventually falter and collapse (Bok). Veterans of crime must exude zero tolerance for lying in courtrooms, lying in political campaigns, lying to cover-up, and deceptions through omittance and non performance by public officials and public servants.
Oath of Office
An oath is a person's word to faithfully serve. United States Code, Title 18 Sec. 1621 states: Whoever, having taken an oath before a competent tribunal, officer, or person, in any case in which a law of the United States authorizes an oath to be administered, willfully and contrary to such oath states or subscribes any material matter which he does not believe to be true, is guilty of perjury and shall be fined no more than $2,000.00 or imprisoned not more than five years or both.
Oaths add that touch of personal responsibility that requires a public promise to execute a job according to the law and in good faith. Each case of Legal Abuse Syndrome is a result of a violation of sworn duty. Oaths are usually required to be taken and then are kept on file. They seem to have become a forgotten formality in the course of public service.
LEGAL ABUSE SYNDROME, Beyond Rage, Karin Huffer M.S., M.F.T.
Email - fulkort@aol.com
A new cause of action that is a new bases for lawsuits is being accepted by the courts allowing cases to proceed on claims of "organic brain injury" caused by traumatic stress. An article appeared on this on November 11, 2002 in the National Law Journal. Click here to see full article.
Legal Abuse Syndrome by Karin Huffer MS, MFT
by Ingri Cassel
| It doesn't matter
It doesn't matter that I'm a taxpayer. It doesn't matter that I'm an American citizen. It doesn't matter that I'm a law-abiding person. It doesn't matter that I was ripped off, violated and betrayed. It doesn't matter that I was right. It doesn't matter that I don't hurt other people. It doesn't matter that I have the evidence. It doesn't matter that the other person broke the law. It doesn't matter that he or she is clearly guilty. It doesn't matter that he or she is wrong by all moral standards. It doesn't matter that my life is ruined. It doesn't matter that a Constitution exists. It doesn't matter that I'm living like a fugitive in my own country. It doesn't matter that I'm a loyal employee. It doesn't matter that I gave my life to the company. It doesn't matter that I'm a veteran who offered his life for his country. It doesn't matter that I paid more in attorney and legal fees than I earned this year. It doesn't matter that I told the truth. ~Legal Abuse Syndrome |
When I first heard about this book, I was intrigued to the point of wanting to review the book as soon as possible. After all, I do not believe there is an IO reader out there that has not been personally affected by the rampant corruption in our court system. What is unique about this book is it addresses the victims of legal abuse from a psychological, therapeutic perspective. Through the therapeutic techniques described in Legal Abuse Syndrome, victims are able to move beyond their current predicament and into a place of personal empowerment and positive action. If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, this book is essential reading.
From the website http://Karinsclinic.net:
* Does being called to court strike fear in your heart?
* Are you struggling with the court system now?
* Have you been to court and come away wounded?
* Are you spending money to keep the legal monster away?
A metamorphosis of cross-purposes has created a court system monstrosity that devours the hearts, souls, and lifeblood of American taxpayers. You are a trusting civilized person who turns to the court for justice. You take your most severe and life threatening problems to a forum where you have been taught that evidence and truth can bring a rational solution to your problems.
You are shocked to be greeted by a hostile and exclusive environment where the transfers of property and strengthening of the economically powerful rules. According to Cynthia Williams, Law Professor at the University of Illinois, this philosophy pervades the bench leaving all values compromised to the economic theory. This means that good faith and fair dealing are no longer emphasized in our courts and the violation of law and contract is justified if the economic payoff is substantial.
Ms. Huffer has done a brilliant job discussing the effects of, and steps to recovery from Legal Abuse Syndrome (LAS) which is defined as a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder resulting from abusive and protracted litigation.
Anyone subjected to the abuses of the American civil justice system will immediately identify with the cover and praise from readers appearing on the back cover of the book.
Ms. Huffer begins the preface by defining LAS, and in the introduction identifies seven LAS victims whose stories she has woven into a highly readable self-help book for other victims of LAS. Legal Abuse Syndrome also doubles as a textbook for mental health professionals providing therapy to LAS victims.
The book is divided into 10 chapters. In chapters 1 and 2, the symptoms of the LAS victim and the etiology of LAS are identified. In chapters 3 through 10, the author breaks down the Eight Steps to Recovery consisting of Debriefing, Grieving, Obsession, Blaming, Deshaming, Reframing, Empowerment and Recovery.
Each chapter begins with a quote that sets the stage for the material presented.
Details of the seven LAS victim's stories illustrate the value of applying her Debriefing Worksheet and therapy so that recovery of one's health and life become possible.
All seven stories are not only true stories from Ms. Huffer's 20 years of experience helping victims of LAS but they are so incredibly moving, they will propel the reader to become involved in actively changing our dysfunctional court system.
Following are quotes from the back cover of Legal Abuse Syndrome:
“As a trial attorney for over 20 years (principally plaintiff cases involving legal malpractice) I can unequivocally state that this book is mandatory reading for everyone coming into contact with the legal system.”
~Philip A. Putman, Esquire, B.A., S.M., J.D., Los Angeles
“The intangible health problems associated with the legal system in America have created a social malady. Physicians must respond now to this legal cancer which has driven this nation into economic and moral bankruptcy.”
~ Cary Savitch, M.D., F.A.C.P., Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, U.C.L.A.
Legal Abuse Syndrome is 234 pages with an additional 33 pages in the appendix which includes a glossary of legal terms, the Debriefing Worksheet, how to assess post traumatic stress disorder, examples of legal forms to file, and resources to utilize in the final stage of recovery.
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The Idaho Observer |
