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Wednesday, August 21, 1985
Daily Nebraskan
Landlord problems top students' list
By Cynthia Hutchinson
Staff Reporter
What can students do when the
landlord refuses to return their dep
osit? Or they're in. an accident and
don't have insurance? Or the doors fall
off of the used car they bought last
week? Try Student Legal Services, 335
Nebraska Union
Shelley Stall, a 1978 NU College of
Law graduate, has directed legal servi
ces and worked as the full-time attor
ney for 4 12 years. Webb Bancroft
serves as a part-time attorney. An
undergraduate student intern, usually
a senior planning to attend law school,
also works in the office, Stall said.
Between them, they handled 828
student contacts last year, 175 more
than the year before, she said.
Totally supported by student fees,
ASUN designed legal services 10 years
ago to offer students free legal service
and to provide legal education for the
university community. Stall said the
only cost to students are occasional
filing fees if they go to court.
A litigation program initiated last
year expanded the office's guidelines,
so Stall and Bancroft now can repres
ent students in court.
"I think the program was a big step
for Student Legal Services because we
really provide a bigger service, a more
useful service," Stall said.
Because of the new program, the NU
Board of Regents granted a 30 percent
budget increase for legal services and
Bancroft was hired as a part-time
attorney, Stall said.
Before the ligitation program began,
the office published the Student Legal
Services Handbook. Written by Stall
and organized by several UNL students,
the handbook provides an overview of
laws and rights that students most
often need. Stall described the hand
book as "preventative health care," so
with the University Health Center's
alcohol programs on these cases.
Stall also works with the ombuds
man's office and the International Stu-
Ctiwlntlto t,nr U .....
rights. their ,efial t"dents prepare for small claims court.
Although landlord tenant problems
The handbook, available at the legal are the most common problems, Stall
services office and from student said, local servirps will advise students
ants, is umrth rna,i; '; ; " " VJ" 8 anu "e nie
ciallv hYf rp ntTn . . ' espe" K r I , 1 dent Office. Grade problems, for exam-
cially before renting an apartment. an attorney who can help them. p,C normally are ndle( mh the
Stall said about one-third of the soon as students find we're university system. However, Stall said
cases the office handles are landlord- available, they're in here, at least to she explains the grade appeal system
tenant problems, That's why the hand- cnec'( out' sne said. to students and gives them an overview
book contains extensive sections on The remaining 70 percent of the of case law ln that area-
renting and how to win in small claims cases are : evenly divided between traf- . ,Generally , handle b.
EL u , tulZ E ? SU,T aId t0rK CiU? m ems that students have with the out-
,nS Te betwfein students whch pe side community," Stall said. Problems
and landlords because of "basic differ- ad, Stall said. within the uni raity are handled b
en interests she said With a problem like traffic tickets, systems set up for that purpose, she
If the problem involves a damage Stall said, she will explain the proce- said.
deposit or another small sum of money dure for paying them. She said DWI
(under $1,500), Stall said she will help cases are "too common." Stall works Please see LEGAL on 1 5
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