University of Virginia Library

In response to recent
criticism of the "Troubleshooter,"
I would like to
clarify the position and
responsibilities assumed by
Consumer Information Service
of Madison Hall. Consumer
Information Service is not
staffed by law students and is
in no way empowered to offer
legal advice or to interpret
situations in a purely legal
manner.

If a resolution satisfactory
to both the complainant and
the complaince cannot be
worked out by Consumer
Information Service acting as a
neutral, third-party mediator,
then we can suggest that either
or both parties refer their
problem to a lawyer to see if a
resolution can be achieved
through legal means.

Consumer Information
Service does try to help the
consumer as much as possible.
However, that does not mean
we are anti-business. It is often
realized that the consumer and
not the merchant is at fault,
and we attempt therefore to
present both sides of the issue
as factually as possible when
dealing with emotional
humans.

In the Life magazine and
"Tommy" cases, the
resolutions reached were
satisfactory to both parties
involved, and were therefore
deemed "fair." If the
complainants had wished to
pursue the matters further,
then we would have helped and
advised them as much as legally
possible, referring them to legal
aid if necessary.

CIS will gladly clarify its
position and actions to anyone,
as it is our intention to help
the entire University and
Charlottesville community, not
to pit one side against the
other, nor to make legal or
moral judgments. CIS also
publishes a column in the
Charlottesville "Buy and Sell"
and distributes "Troubleshooters"
to public service
agencies.