Lawyers hold annual outdoor clinic

“Street Law,” the sign in Riverfront Park advertised. “Talk to a lawyer for free today.”

People did. Within an hour and a half, the three attorneys fielding questions at the outdoor clinic had given legal advice to 15 people.

The questions ranged from advice about pending mortgage foreclosures and landlord-tenant disputes to traffic tickets and problems with contractors.

“As attorneys, we’re mainly problem-solvers,” said Gail Hammer, a professor at Gonzaga University’s law school. “It’s really nice to be able to give them a little direction.”

The atmosphere was decidedly casual. The attorneys set up card tables on the Howard Street Bridge, near the spray fountain. A shortage of folding chairs left Hammer perched on a cooler.

Street Law is in its fourth year. It runs from 1-4 p.m. each Saturday in the park through Aug. 30, except for June 28, which is Hoopfest weekend.

About 50 attorneys volunteer to staff the free clinics, which are hosted by the Center for Justice and the Spokane County Bar Association. The attorneys typically see 25 to 30 people per afternoon.

Divorce and custody issues, employment law and housing disputes are the most common topics the attorneys get asked about.

“We mostly hear everyday people kind of issues,” said Breean Beggs, the Center for Justice’s executive director. Sometimes, people get an initial opinion, and a referral to free or low-cost legal services. Other times, a 15-minute consultation will answer the question.

“We help explain that this is what the law will do with your problem, so people can make better choices,” Beggs said.

Virginia Graham came with questions about libel issues. The former Seattle resident wants to write a book about her sister, Debra Estes, a 15-year-old victim of Green River killer Gary Ridgway.

“She had blond hair and blue eyes, but there weren’t any candlelight vigils for her because she was a prostitute,” said Graham.

Graham hopes her book will help the public understand how her sister became a troubled runaway who worked the streets. But she needed legal advice about handling sensitive material in the book.

Robert Flores, who is adopted, wants to take his birth dad’s name. Hammer recommended a Web site that explains how to legally change a name in Spokane County, and how to apply for a waiver of the $200 fee.

“They said I could come back next week if I ran into any questions,” Flores said.

Greg Getaz wondered how to proceed after the Fire Department said the pool area in his condo didn’t have a proper fire exit.

“He was very helpful,” Getaz said after his session with attorney Terry Sawyer. “I think this is a great program.”

And Darlene Collins wondered if she should appeal a traffic judgment. After she and another driver collided in an alley, she ended up paying part of the other driver’s repair bill.

Filing an appeal costs around $250, Collins said. She wanted to know what her likelihood of winning was before she filed the appeal. Sawyer suggested some areas of traffic law Collins could research before making a decision.

Greg George, an intern at the Center for Justice, processed the requests, steering people to the attorney most likely to be able to answer their questions.

“I don’t think we’re solving everyone’s problem today, but we’re giving them helpful information to get them started,” George said.