To find out more about LEARN
write or call:

 LEARN@learn-us.org

LEARN
Michael Coffman,
6 Heather Rd.
Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 947-7931
 (9:00am-5:30pm Eastern)

 

 
Local elected officials are typically businessmen, farmers or laborers who believe they can serve their community so it can prosper and and grow. While self-interest is often a motivator, political power is not an end in itself, but a tool to accomplish something positive for the community and for themselves personally. Even those elected officials that have an college education are not trained in the political sciences. In other words they are not politicians, and unless they have a legal background, they are not intimately familiar with the law.

When local elected officials first hear of the LEARN process, usually from some of their constituents, their first reaction is to get an opinion from their retained attorney and/or from the State Attorney General's office. However, even attorney's are typically not familiar with the federal laws that empower the LEARN process. Since these attorney's are usually extremely busy, it is easy for them to shoot from the hip and advise that the local government does not have the authority to have joint standing with federal agencies. To provide a valid opinion, however, they must review the various statutory and regulatory provisions provided in the citations section of this website.

It is therefore strongly advised that local elected officials request that the attorney review the key sections of these laws and regulations before issuing an opinion. LEARN attempts to make this as easy as possible. The citations were selected by Karen Budd-Falen of Budd-Falen Law Offices in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Attorney Budd-Falen originally developed the LEARN concept and has litigated, and won cases dealing with the LEARN process in the 9th and 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. When possible, the various key quotes from the law and regulations are linked to the section of the U.S. Code or Code of Federal Regulations so the user can quickly read the context of that portion of the law or regulation. To review these citations, click on the citations button: 

 

   Last Updated 05/30/2007