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ADMISSION
TO PRACTICE LAW |
Status Active - legal advice
available upon request
Colorado
- all state and
municipal courts - admitted May, 1981
Colorado Attorney
Registration No. 10930
Supreme Court
Search Results
*
Disciplinary History
United
States District Court - District of Colorado
United
States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals
United
States Supreme Court |
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Traffic Cams |
Weather |
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Status Admitted January, 1981
- Inactive 1989 - no
legal advice will be given
Iowa
United
States District Court - Southern District of Iowa
United
States 8th Circuit Court of Appeals |
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Traffic Cams |
Weather |
Member
Colorado
Bar Association &
El
Paso County Bar Association
Sole practitioner in El Paso
County, Colorado since 1983
Continuous Colorado trial
practice since 1981 - formerly western slope
On-line
subscription legal
research |
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EMPLOYMENT
BETWEEN UNDERGRAD DEGREE & LEGAL CAREER |
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Credit and collection manager
with General Electric Credit Corp.
Colorado and Montana 1973 -
1975
Mortgage loan officer -
residential and commercial lending
Federal Savings & Loan -
Iowa 1975 until law school 1978 |
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EDUCATION |
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Drake
Law School, Des Moines,
Iowa
Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) - December 1980
top grade - agency * partnership
trial clinic top award -
International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award
deans list honors
Drake
University, Des Moines,
Iowa
Bachelor of
Science in Education (BSE) Degree - December 1973
deans list honors
Valley
High School, West Des Moines,
Iowa
national honor society * deans list honors * diploma May 1970 |
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| ATTORNEY
PERSONAL INFORMATION |
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I was raised in a rural Iowa small town, then attended high school in West
Des Moines. Upon completion of undergrad degree in 1973, I migrated
to Colorado and then again upon completion of law school in December,
1980. I flew back to take the Iowa bar exam in January, 1981 and
took the Colorado bar exam in February, 1981. Having passed each
bar, I made my permanent home in Colorado. I'm not a native, but
have lived the majority of my life in this beautiful Rocky Mountain state,
and raised my daughter alone here from infancy through emancipation.
When opportunity
occurs, I enjoy the mountains, skiing once in a while, tennis,
swimming, riding horses and puttering around in the yard or tool man
fix-it projects. |
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ATTORNEY
REPRESENTATION
AND DECLINED MATTERS
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I will represent creditors only
collecting
accounts receivable or debt |
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PRIVATE ATTORNEY
NOT
A
COLLECTION AGENCY |
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if you are a consumer or debtor
please do not email or call seeking advice
click the stop sign to find a lawyer
anywhere |
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I
welcome representation inquiries however please refer to first
consultation - the purpose is not to provide free legal advice to the
general public. Unless seeking to retain counsel, please do not email or
call. I do not provide legal opinions, answers or information in response
to questions submitted from non-clients. Given the scope of internet
accessibility I can not be the free "Colorado answer man" and will
politely decline.
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ALTERNATIVES |
FIND
A LAWYER |
if
you are seeking the below
please refer to above links for helpful information |
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sole practitioner
attorney does not accept these matters |
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a. a pro-bono (free) lawyer
b. an attorney who may take
lower fees - economic hardship
c. an attorney who may take installment payments |
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MID-LITIGATION
REPRESENTATION
alternatives and find a
lawyer links provided as a courtesy
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Attorney
Policies
Litigant Pro Se - Attempt to
Prepare or Defend Own Collection Lawsuit |
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1.
Adequate Time. If sufficient time exists to adequately prepare your
collection lawsuit and if prospective client approves this
attorney's fees and costs structure, attorney will
likely accept representation. This shall
not constitute an offer of representation; attorney and
prospective client retain discretion through
first
consultation. |
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2.
Insufficient Time. If you've waited until the eleventh hour and there is not
sufficient time to adequately prepare your collection lawsuit before a
limitation deadline or contested court hearing, please do not call. I decline. |
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3.
Limited Assistance.
Please do not call requesting instruction, directions, legal theory,
forms completion or limited document drafting, partial representation, or an explanation of
applicable law to assist you in preparation of your own
collection lawsuit. I decline. |
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Attorney
Policies
Representation
by Previous Attorney
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1.
Current Attorney.
Until an order has entered withdrawing representation by an
attorney, an ethical rule violation exists if counsel
knowingly speaks to another attorney's client without current
attorney's consent. This ethical rule governs all
attorneys. Please do not call until after
you have terminated representation by a former attorney.
After
other counsel's withdrawal it may take significant effort for the the new attorney to "catch up."
Please be aware fees and costs will be associated with procuring
relevant documentation, the court file and coming up to speed in the case.
Attorney would be less likely to accept a new
case on a contingency fee basis in the event of prior
representation. |
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2.
Adequate Time.
If prospective client terminates employment of the
former attorney, if sufficient time exists to adequately prepare your
collection lawsuit and if prospective client approves this
attorney's fees and costs structure, attorney will
likely accept representation. This shall
not constitute an offer of representation; attorney and
prospective client retain discretion through
first
consultation. |
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3.
Insufficient Time.
If you've waited until the eleventh hour and there is not
sufficient time to adequately prepare your collection case lawsuit before a
limitation deadline or contested court hearing, please do not call. I decline. |
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4.
Second Opinion.
I will not arm chair quarterback another
attorney's case preparation, trial tactics or theory of
the case. Please do not call for a second
opinion or an opinion regarding the competence
of preparation in your current collection
lawsuit. I decline. |
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POST
JUDGMENT MATTERS
Attorney
Policies
alternatives and find a
lawyer links provided as a courtesy
former clients are naturally welcome to call anytime
regarding any legal matter |
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1.
Post Judgment Enforcement.
Prospective client has been awarded a judgment, but it seems like
a worthless piece of paper - you've gotten bogged down and are
unable to convert the court order to cash. I will review post judgment requests
to enforce a lawful judgment with the goal of acceptance. Depending
on enforcement issues apparent at the time retained, attorney reserves the right to quote fees
either upon a contingency basis or hourly basis. This shall
not constitute an offer of representation; attorney and
prospective client retain discretion through
first
consultation. |
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2.
Appeal.
Prospective client has lost the case through default judgment,
summary judgment or
trial on the merits, had damages awarded against prospective client or a set-off
awarded. I do not
accept debt collection or other civil appeals unless I provided
representation during the underlying case in chief at the trial
court level and am familiar with the facts,
testimony and exhibits received into evidence
and meritorious issues for appeal. That's been my policy for years. Please do not
call or inquire regarding appellate matters if you are not a
former client. |
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Attorney Trade Area and Travel
CASES
OUTSIDE EL PASO COUNTY
GEOGRAPHIC
DISTANCE
ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
Colorado is a big state.
Easy communication access via
internet, email and toll free phone doesn't change
that fact. |
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Attorney
is very willing to travel outside the Colorado Springs area to present
or defend a case,
but please be aware travel time, mileage and expense would apply. If you are
from out of state or are unfamiliar with Colorado
geography, refer to the map to determine where
Colorado Springs is
located in relation to the county of your court case or hearing. |
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Please be aware travel time,
mileage & expenses would be billed
regardless of whether the fee structure is contingency fee, flat fee, or hourly
fee.
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Southern Colorado Area |
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If travel is
necessary, a
trust deposit
would be required to cover anticipated travel time, mileage &
expenses. If it is not economically justifiable to retain
my services with travel, please contact counsel in the locale of
your case. |
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| COUNTIES |
CITIES / TOWNS |
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El Paso County |
Colorado Springs / Manitou
Springs / Fountain |
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Chaffee County |
Salida |
I welcome new cases. Intent is not to be harsh
or to discard potential new business, but to be practical. |
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Crowley County |
Ordway |
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Custer County |
Westcliffe |
Metro Denver Area |
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Douglas
County |
Castle Rock |
COUNTIES |
CITIES / TOWNS |
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Elbert County |
Kiowa / Simla |
City and County of Denver |
Denver |
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Fremont County |
Canon City / Florence / Penrose |
Adams County |
Brighton Thornton Federal Heights |
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Huerfano County |
Walsenburg |
Arapahoe County |
Littleton / Centennial /
Englewood |
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Las Animas County |
Trinidad |
Arapahoe County - East |
Aurora |
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Lincoln County |
Hugo (county seat) / Limon |
Broomfield County |
Broomfield |
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Otero County |
La Junta |
Gilpin
County |
Blackhawk / Central City |
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Park County |
Fairplay |
Jefferson County |
Golden / Wheat Ridge |
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Pueblo County |
Pueblo |
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Teller County |
Cripple Creek / Woodland Park |
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Adobe
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| please feel free
to call or email if you are a client or are seeking representation |
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FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION
not an offer for free legal advice - refer to link for terms
attorney is a sole practitioner with need to manage his caseload
attorney reserves the right
to decline any legal matter |
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GUSTAFSON LAW OFFICE TOPICAL
WEBSITES |
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Topical Website Copyright ©
2003 - All Rights Reserved - Document Revised
July 16, 2008
no copyright claimed to images other than photograph and law office logo
Topical Website Initial Publication Date: March 8, 2004
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