To distribute pittance

Like thousands of other Arkansans, this past year I received a sum of money awarded to former smokers of Marlboro Light cigarettes. (In my case about $3,000.) Last week, I received a court-ordered notice pertaining to ”Pulaski County Circuit Court Case No. CV 2003-4661 Miner v. Philip Morris Cos.: Marlboro Lights Class Action settlement.”

Lo and behold, there is a small sum of money left over that is so small that it cannot be distributed in a fair manner to the thousands of harmed individuals (a mere $2.2 million, per the court.) Apparently this court thinks a fair way to dispose of this petty amount of money is to award (give) it to the William H. Bowen School of Law for scholarships for need-based lawyer wannabes, some of whom may be interested in public litigation.

In short, that is where approximately $2.2 million will go unless the thousands of claimants want to change the minds of the fine folks at the Thrash Law Firm in Little Rock by letter, or better still by showing up in court on such and such date

after submitting a notice of intent to appear.

Wow. Such a tiny amount of money with very little time to keep it away from so many little people. CARL E. BUCHANAN

Scott