A historian recently wrote that founding father Thomas Jefferson never enjoyed practicing law because “he grew to think of attorneys as lazy parasites who subsisted off the malice and avarice of others.”
Harsh words.
But in a brand new nation fueled by positive thinking and hope, it isn’t difficult to understand why Jefferson chose to be on the side of the dreamers. America is thankful today that he did.
In present day Edwardsville, the seat of a county whose namesake ironically made his name backing Jefferson, we hold that such invigorating optimism has sadly taken a back seat.
Reckless lawyers and judges have cast a dark, negative pall over Madison County, leading us to believe that our home is the most bamboozled and accident-prone in America.
That’s because rather than reacting to calamity when it calls, too many Madison County attorneys have taken to making their own “avarice” and “malice.”
The only raw materials required are imagination, audacity, and a heavy dose of judicial clout. Around these parts, none are in short supply.
Madison County lawyers are manufacturing victims with the goal of making a quick buck. Justice doesn’t enter the equation.
Former Illinois State Bar Association President and Chicago lawyer Terence Lavin once said that lawyers like to sue here because of our “demographic.”
How's that for insulting?
Apparently, lawyers think Madison County jurors are either genetically or perhaps ethnically incapable of grasping the concept of personal responsibility. They believe we are vindictive, angry, and poised to punish the ‘haves.’
Do you agree? Are you angry? Is victimhood your fate?
Whether you call Madison County a “judicial hellhole” or argue that our courthouse is the only place in America where justice is truly served, the facts speak for themselves.
Doctors are leaving. New business isn’t coming. And lawyers are thriving—and coming in droves.
Before you head to the voting booth this Tuesday, we ask that you consider what Madison County has become and why.
And consider your future. Is it bright? Or is it merely a matter of time before you too, become a victim?