mm g Texas A&M ■ ■ | ■ The Battalion March 4, 1982 /Page 1B Section B Greeting after class Let’s go play, Red seems to say to major from Bryan. Red greeted his owner, Anita Demirs, a Demirs with a warm kiss when her freshman mechanical engineering class dismissed from Bolton Hall. How to pursue small claims Taking a case to court United Press International LOS ANGELES — Someone dent your car through their own negligence and refuse to pay? Did a lover break up with you and keep the $1,200 waterbed set you bought together? Have you ever paid a huge TV repair bill only to find the set didn’t work right? These incidents are annoying, f rustrating and costly enough to make a person want justice. Last year more than 1.5 mil lion people took such grievances to small claims court. Many of them won, quickly, simply and cheaply. Small claims court is for the so-called common person with average income and limited knowlege of judicial procedure. James Morris, a small claims court judge from Rochester, N.Y., has written a book, “You Can Win Big In Small Claims Court.” It walks the reader through small claims court proc edure step by step with actual cases and explanations for the judge’s ruling. “Not only is small claims court cheap and efficient, but what could take two days with a jury trial can be done in 30 mi nutes,” Morris said in an inter view. Claims can be filed up to $750 or $ 1,000 in most states. Califor nia, among others, raised its limit to $1,500 this year. Some states, such as Texas and Geor gia, allow only $200 or $300. Others, such as Tennessee, New Mexico and Virginia, put the limit at $5,000. It is not necessary to know legal procedure to go to small claims court. Lawyers usually are not involved. Some states don’t allow them in small claims cases. If there is a valid claim and evidence to prove the case, look up the number of the local small claims court and contact the clerk. It will be necessary to show: — The full legal name and address of the person you’re going to sue. If it’s a business, you must know the name of the corporation or the person doing business under the store or ser vice name. — Documents, such as dam age or repair estimates, receipts, letters, contracts, promissory notes, leases, canceled checks. If the claim is a valid matter for small claims court, filing probably will cost between $2 and $ 10. Morris says the average fee is $7. State the name and address of the person being sued, the amount of money claimed, a brief—about 25 words — expla nation of why the money is owed, your signature and the date. Morris warns that unless you are quickly paid the owed money in full, both parties should appear in court and re port the settlement agreement to the judge. Above all, he counsels, don’t be afraid to use small claims court. “There are many ways to make society more complex,” he said. “Small claims court is a way to make it simple.” Paris newspaper says photo cited by Haig four years old United Press International PARIS — The newspaper Le Figaro says the photo used by Secretary of State Alexander Haig to show the Nicaraguan government is massacring its In dians was a 4-year-old picture of Red Cross workers burning casualties of the civil war. In Washington, State Depart ment spokesman Alan Romberg said: “it is unfortunate the photo was misidentified. Nonetheless, our views on the Nicaraguan treatment of the Miskito Indians remains as it was, as stated by the secretary of state.” The photograph in the right- wing publication carried a cap tion that said, “the massacre of fiercely anti-Castro Miskito In dians by Nicaragua’s Socialist- Marxist barbudos (Cuban advis ers) last December. Two hun dred Indians were cut to pieces by grenades and automatic arms.” On Feb. 19, after meeting with AFL-CIO officials about Nicaragua, Haig said he “drew their attention, for example, to the photograph in Figaro this week in Paris which showed the most atrocious genocidal actions that are being taken by the Nicaraguan government against their Indian populations along the east coast.” The French satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine revealed the photo published in Le Figar o’s weekend magazine in early February actually was taken four years ago. The Gamma photo agency, whose photographer took the picture, said it bore the label, “Nicaragua, September 1978,” but Figaro magazine had not asked for a caption. Henri-Christian Giraud, edi tor of Figaro magazine, said the photograph was a mistake. now through March 13 save 14 % to 15 % on Today's Girl" fashion pantyhose during our spring sale no All Sheer, sizes A, B, reg. 1.29. 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