Members of the bar and other legal-services providers who use Internet-based VersusLaw (Redmond, WA) for their legal-research needs should be aware of the way VersusLaw charges for what is arguably implied on their web site is a monthly subscription fee. If you elect to pay for what you are left with the impression is a single months worth of service, the subscription will be automatically renewed every month thereafter until the company is contacted and told to stop charging the subscriber's credit card each month.
As of October 27, this is not made clear anywhere on the VersusLaw web site the company insists that this information is revealed among all the text of the subscription process, though the company has not provided a copy of it to me upon demand. It's a shame that VersusLaw has to engage in this type of underhanded trade practice with the legal profession (let's rip off the lawyers they're all rich anyway, right?). This is how we have come to expect the likes of low-life, fly-by-night companies to bill people's credit cards for snake-oil, garbage products through late-night T.V. Sales pitches - it is not how one expects a company catering to the legal profession which is fairly reputable in all other aspects to act.
In the opinion of this writer a general-practice attorney with over 12 years experience and duly-licensed to practice in two states VersusLaw is not worth what they charge for their services, anyway; it's difficult to get results with their search terms, their web site is not the easiest to navigate and they do not provide pin-point citation pagination.
Most states have free, legal-research resources available to members of their bars and the general public, and other on-line, legal-research services are available at reasonable prices (because LoisLaw provides precise, pin-point-citation pagination, even their $24.99-daily subscription rate is more worth what VersusLaw can provide and Lois is at least upfront with us about how they charge for their services). So don't be duped into overpaying for unused services by Cheryl Burrell in billing or any of the rest of them at VersusLaw check those credit-card statements diligently each month!
Other legal-services providers who feel that they have been ripped off by the people who operate VersusLaw are encouraged to file a claim with the Better Business Bureau of Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington (where VersusLaw is physically doing business). The on-line complaint process is quick and easy at the BBB's web site:
alaskaoregonwesternwashington. BBB.org
Also, complaints can and should be filed against VersusLaw with the Washington State Attorney General's Office. Call 1-800-551-4636.
The Washington AG's consumer-protection division's web page is located at
atg. Wa. Gov/page. Aspx? Id=1792
To file a complaint on line:
atg. Wa. Gov/FileAComplaint. Aspx
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