New charter feedback thread.

hullaballoo

The Charter is dead, long live the Charter.

We would like to see your thoughts on the new format, layout, links and rules.

Health warning: the rule against legal advice is staying. We will not be moved on that. However, we are open to suggestions on the interpretation on this rule to make it more clear, if possible.

Cheers,
hullaballoo.

Bepolite

Loving the new codification! I personally think we need more stickies or one sticky with frequently used links like the FE-1 thread, milk-round thread and perhaps a FAQ thread.

Very nicely done BTW. Thanks to you and all the Mods that make this a great forum.

hullaballoo

Bepolite wrote: »

Loving the new codification! I personally think we need more stickies or one sticky with frequently used links like the FE-1 thread, milk-round thread and perhaps a FAQ thread.

Very nicely done BTW. Thanks to you and all the Mods that make this a great forum.

Want to pull it together? Imagine, your very own sticky. :pac:

Bepolite

Here's a stab at it. I'll try and pull together some suggestions for the FAQ.

drkpower

If we post our opinions on this thread, won't we be persecuted and yellow carded at every turn for daring to express our views ..... ;-)

johnnyskeleton

Maybe add a "DIY Divorce", "I wanna be alawyered", "caught with a small amount of cannabis", "need a solicitor who will run a complex and fully contested case for less than a fiver", and, um, maybe a law reform thread.

Then mash all the similar ones into those threads

hullaballoo

drkpower wrote: »

If we post our opinions on this thread, won't we be persecuted and yellow carded at every turn for daring to express our views ..... ;-)

I don't remember giving that kind of immunity.

I suppose I have to now you've pointed it out.

hullaballoo

Thanks for that, I've stickied it. I've left it open for updates that I can merge into the OP when we're done.

I like the idea of an FAQ as well. The one that was there was...limited in scope. That said, we have a guideline limit of only 3 stickies. That being the case, I might merge the FAQ with Frequently used threads, just in case there's some sort of LD emergency :pac: that requires its own sticky.

Ken.

Could you add in a bit for 'could their be a better place for your post on boards'.
Job problems- http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=10
Consumer problems- http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=580
Divorce and seperation- http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1533

Thats all I can think of off the top of my head but I'm sure theirs others.

Oh and reword the sh!t out of the above if you want.

Bepolite

Added Ken's idea to the sticky, I hope that was okay. Please remove/reword it as you see fit.

234

The definition of legal advice seems a little broad.

For the purposes of this forum, legal advice includes an opinion on, interpretation of or extrapolation on any legal principle.

This would seem to cover a situation where somebody posted a completely depersonalised question eg "Can anybody outline the law of ostensible authority?"

I would not have thought that this was legal advice or inappropriate for the forum but would come within the definition.

Other than this a fleshed out definition would be generally helpful. The other issue is with enforcement. Applying the common law to our own forum there seem to be quite a few occasions where something straddles the line in a dubious way and the poster is not infracted or warned in thread. This usually leads me to assume that their conduct did not amount to legal advice. But later you see ostensibly similar instances where the rules are not applied in as permissive a manner.

I can only imagine that this would be even more confusing for those without any kind of legal knowledge or training.

blastit

I would suggest people keep on topic and not go off at political tangent like in a recent thread about the electoral register. Also there seems to be a few people who make fun of anyone who questions the authority of the gardai. I do not think that should be allowed. In fact i think any unhelpful smart comment
should be punished.It wastes time

And do not use 'of' instead of 'have' as in I would of thought

Bepolite

blastit wrote: »

In fact i think any unhelpful smart comment should be punished

If it's blatant then perhaps but there has, for the time I've been here at least, always been low tolerance to suffer fools and also a touch of sarcastic charm to the forum.

Most of us at some level argue for a living/fun/education and this isn't the personal issues forum and people should not be posting about sensitive personal circumstances.

blastit

Bepolite wrote: »

If it's blatant then perhaps but there has, for the time I've been here at least, always been low tolerance to suffer fools and also a touch of sarcastic charm to the forum.

Most of us at some level argue for a living/fun/education and this isn't the personal issues forum and people should not be posting about sensitive personal circumstances.

And should not be mocked for questioning the gardai either. Blatant or not the rules say no unhelpful posts

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

NoQuarter

TL;DR! :pac:

Pat Mustard

It would be good to see an FAQ section/sticky dealing with the regularly occurring questions, such as:

"I was injured and I want to apply to the Injuries Board. Do I really need a solicitor?"

"I was injured in a hit-and-run road traffic accident. Can I still be compensated?"

"My employer fired me unfairly. What can I do?"

"A Garda stopped me on the street and searched me for drugs. Is he allowed to do this?"

"I want to appeal against conviction. How do I go about this?"

"My ex partner won't allow me to see our son. I can't pay a solicitor. What are my options?"

Manach

Perhaps a way to better accommodate academic/theory as opposed to practice. For instance for a section for bills that are passing through the sausage factor that is the Dail, like the FoI 2013, so as to comment.

Bepolite

blastit wrote: »

And should not be mocked for questioning the gardai either. Blatant or not the rules say no unhelpful posts

I'm sorry but some of these posts re the guards get exactly the type of replies the thread deserves. If someone has a genuine criticism which has some though behind it then fair enough but while I agree with Fred's comment there is also the old adage of:

Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.

Bepolite

The Mustard wrote: »

It would be good to see an FAQ section/sticky dealing with the regularly occurring questions, such as:

"I was injured and I want to apply to the Injuries Board. Do I really need a solicitor?"

"I was injured in a hit-and-run road traffic accident. Can I still be compensated?"

"My employer fired me unfairly. What can I do?"

"A Garda stopped me on the street and searched me for drugs. Is he allowed to do this?"

"I want to appeal against conviction. How do I go about this?"

"My ex partner won't allow me to see our son. I can't pay a solicitor. What are my options?"

I think these can go in the FAQ it just needs someone to pull the threads together and post them like FS did on the barrister one.

hullaballoo

234 wrote: »

The definition of legal advice seems a little broad.

This would seem to cover a situation where somebody posted a completely depersonalised question eg "Can anybody outline the law of ostensible authority?"

I would not have thought that this was legal advice or inappropriate for the forum but would come within the definition.

Other than this a fleshed out definition would be generally helpful. The other issue is with enforcement. Applying the common law to our own forum there seem to be quite a few occasions where something straddles the line in a dubious way and the poster is not infracted or warned in thread. This usually leads me to assume that their conduct did not amount to legal advice. But later you see ostensibly similar instances where the rules are not applied in as permissive a manner.

I can only imagine that this would be even more confusing for those without any kind of legal knowledge or training.

I have to say, the definition of legal advice you've quoted is very weak. It was never intended to make it into the final version of the charter but I got overexcited at finished a week's work and forgot to edit it. I have now changed it.

I have to thank drkpower for the definition. They are all his words and you can see the update here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=87523043&postcount=2

I am very grateful for your input, people. I will try and respond to the individual comments throughout next week and I will certainly be incorporating some of the changes already proposed, aside from the updated definition of legal advice.

Thanks again.

blastit

Bepolite wrote: »

I'm sorry but some of these posts re the guards get exactly the type of replies the thread deserves. If someone has a genuine criticism which has some though behind it then fair enough but while I agree with Fred's comment there is also the old adage of:

Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.

'stupid' as defined by cop fanboys