Steve Doeung at Tarrant County Courthouse. 12/18/09From Don Young:
If ever there was a man who deserves legal council, that man is Carter Avenue resident, Steve Doeung. He’s done pretty damn good on his own for the past year and a half, but a relentless Chesapeake legal team is closing in for the kill. While his neighbors caved in or sold out for various reasons, Steve is still standing on principle.
In a courtroom decked out for Christmas, Steve once again managed to fight off the attempted taking of his property for a dangerous natural gas pipeline. A wreath of colored balls hung above the judge’s head and between U.S. and Texas flags. But the mood was not festive.
The judge’s warning to Steve is loud and clear: You need an attorney! Someone needs to step up today. It is a travesty that this man can’t get the legal aid he needs.
This case is a textbook example of an unjust system tilted in favor of a lying and scheming corporate Goilath. The sordid details have been described elsewhere and are now common knowledge. (see below, Steve’s detailed report of today’s court proceedings)
Steve’s humble yet determined actions are helping protect his and his neighbors safety and property. Standing alone on an island of unselfish hope, he has sent his message in a bottle asking for help.
Is there anyone out there who will take this case? Is there anyone willing to stand up to Chesapeake and help Steve help us all?
DY
It is beyond pathetic that no attorney has stepped up to help this man! I don’t care if the bottom line is that he will ultimately lose this battle. That is NOT THE POINT! Someone should stand by his side and help him.
At least help him file for a continuance.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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This is just another example of the Texas Joketise system in action!
No attorney has come forward to help because they all know it's a losing battle, there's nothing in it for them. I applaud Steve Doeung's bravery and admire his convictions. I wish there were something more that I could do to help. What is happening to him and his family – and his neighbors, even the ones who fell for the sugar-coated poison pills offered by Chesapeake, is disgusting.
I pray someone (a lawyer) sees this and responds right away. I would if I could!
It's funny that EPNG announced they will reroute their pipeline in Bushland TX away from home after the November accident, apparently at EPNG's own cost.
Yet, Chesapeake insists on a raw gas pipeline (more risk of internal corrosion than EPNG's finished gas!) in a residential area.
You ya feel lucky, Chesapeake?
Prospective clients MUST call the lawyer first. Lawyers cannot solicit business. Find some and start calling them. Ask for suggestions. Now the system is rotten because when one lawyer recommends another one the first lawyer gets a referral fee, running up the bill even before any work begins. And there is a whole chain of "thieves" along the way. Unfortunately, that is the way lawyers have it set up. Stinks.
Attention ANY attorney reading this: Steve Doeung needs your help! The Judge even stated he NEEDS an ATTORNEY! Since the 'system' apparently requires the individual to seek the attorney, then I am hereby seeking an attorney – for Steve Doeung.
If there are none brave enough to help Steve, then here's two phone numbers that may be of assistance:
Legal Aid of Northwest Texas: 817.336.3943
Tarrant County Bar Association (Lawyer Referral & Information Service) 817.336.4101
The cheapest thing might be just find out how much the Tx. judge wants in the "white envelope" to rule in your favor. That might be chepaer than fooling with crooked lawyers in Tx. YOu can bet that the one with the most money wins.
chesapeake has more money than god. 🙁
Please tell us where it says that a potential client has to contact a lawyer (and the prohibiton placed on lawyers, who are called "officers of the court" and pledged to "serve justice"). Even if there is such a prohibiton, does it include a lawyer simply offering to help for no financial compensation in return? So what happened with all the lawyers that the papers said drove down to the YFZ Ranch compound to volunteer their professional services for all those hundreds of women and children? Did each child (even toddlers and infants) and woman call their own specific lawyer, who then drove down there asking for their specific client? If I were Steve Doeung, i'd keep fighting on my own than rely on some arrogant or condescending lawyer who has to be begged to do what's just, which likely mean they'll do a half-#$%^& job on his behalf. Steve did say somewhere that he wanted "competent and adequate legal representation", which seems to indicate that he won't settle for just anything. Keep kicking their $#%^ yourself, Steve. You've got the boots for it and seems that you got some practice already.
And when you hire (or get) a lawyer, your problems have just begun. When the case gets difficult, the lawyer will find a reason to "fly the koop". They will leave like buzzards flying off of roadkill and leave you in the lurch because the lawyer got the White Envelope. And then there is the ever present situation where the lawyer will blame the client for their faults and incopetence. Have experienced it all. Lawyers in Tx (especially when fighting big gas) are a bunch of sheisters and scumbags.
For Anonomous 10:22. It's called barratry(sp??).
Surely there's at least one competent lawyer with a conscience still alive somewhere, esp. one who is older and retired or about to retire–and don't give a damn about who CHEAT-sapeake is. It appears that Steve D. just needs a little of help with technical aspects because to have come this far and this long in a completely unfair eminent domain procedure (not technically a legal case from his side–see Chapter 21 of TxPropertyCode–pretty simple and straightforward and short info that just about anyone can understand)has his facts and evidence, plus legal grounds, all in order. OR else, this case would have been done with a long time ago. It doesn't sound like he wants private/personal rep. per se to make claims for damages, eventhough we suspect that he probably has some tort and/or professional ethics claims against CHK and/or their high price lawyers
Even when you get a lawyer, the judge may rule in Big Gas's favor at some point and award Big Gas attorney fees and damages against you. A lein can be put on your property, it's seized. There is a receiver, (and maybe the involvement of local DA and/or Appraisal district and LLC's) judge signs a piece of paper, other papers are shuffled and next thing you know is that your lawyer has title to your property. He goes to Big Gas and annonces that he has title to the property that Big Gas is interested in. A deal is done and you are in the poor house, Big Gas wins, and the lawyer is licking his chops!
wHY ISN'T THE FW WEEKLY, CHANNEL 8, OR SOME OTHER UNBIASED AND UN-NUETERED MEDIA REPORTING ON THIS STORY. BESIDES THE INJUSTICE AND OTHER TRAVESTIES, THE "ANGLE" OR STORY LINE OF A MODERN-DAY DAVID TAKING ON NASTY GOLIATH IS COMPELLING INFO-TAINMENT IN AND OF ITSELF. DEFINITELY BETTER THAN SOME OLD WOMAN AND HER CONCERN FOR HER OLD TREES. THIS MAN'S FIGHT IS ABOUT AND FOR ALL OF US PEOPLE.
So, where are the frigging lawyers? Are they at the bar with the "enemy"? Come on out if you have any "get up and go" at all!! Help this man.
The "servants of justice" are probably eyeballing the town of Dish right now to see how they can make money off of the damages ALREADY DONE TO THE PEOPLE after so many scientific tests came back. Remember, his "honor" the judge is a lawyer, too (only justice of the peace can be laypeople). I too cried, Sharon–for this man's plight, for his courage, and for the galaring lack thereof among most of our citizens, esp. when it comes to speaking out about simple and clear injustices and dangers TO EVERYBODY.
Worthless lawyers and the Joketice system in Tx. I have no confidence in the whole thing.
My brother Carl Stiles did take the money for the pipeline and learned the hard way. Within 2 yrs he was soo sick he had to leave his job and then his property following drs orders. His well was ruined, contanimated by methane and God knows what else. Carl had those same chemicals in his body, going from 1 dr to another trying to figure out how to get well again. B4 the drilling my brother was never sick–not on any meds. He loved the outdoors and riding his Harley. H experienced heart attack symptoms, tremors and weakness, double vision, balance problems–the list goes on and on. Finally he was diagnosed with cancer–and was told he could expect leukemia withing 2 yrs. After being so depressed and sick my brother took his life jan 26–a day i will never forget. he was just tired of ebign sick and saw no end so he made one. For that i can understand. I will never forgive those responsible. they have not heard the last of my brother–for i have taken over his place as activist. I am not sick and i wll do whatever in my pwoer to se it doesnt affect anyone else. its time thes companies pay for what they have done and take some responsibility for their actions..
This is such a tragic story! Has anyone written about it?