County Attorney’s Office To Receive Award For Helping Victims Of Deceptive Business
Award to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the BBB
On Wednesday April 29, 2009, the local chapter of the Better Business Bureau will present El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez the "Outstanding Leader Award" for partnering with the BBB to establish an arbitration program that allows quick restitution for victims of deceptive business practices.
Both agencies established the program in 2006, with support from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), to expedite the resolution of criminal cases involving first offenders, and to increase the amount of restitution collected by the victims.
Instead of waiting for a trial to be set, which could take months, the plaintiff and the merchant commit to arbitration where the claims are evaluated at no cost to the consumer. The program helps victims of Deceptive Business Practices receive fast and fair restitution, while the merchants, who offend for the first time, can avoid a conviction and resolve the criminal case at a minimum cost.
The arbitration program also saves taxpayers a significant amount of money by reducing the amount of time that the courts, prosecutors and defense attorneys have to spend on these cases. By doing so, the process allows the State to prosecute more cases that would otherwise be possible with existing resources.
Recently the program has received countrywide attention after wining the 2008 Myers Memorial Award given by the National Better Business Bureau
County Attorney José Rodriguez will receive the "Outstanding Leader Award" during the Better Business Bureau's annual meeting, Wednesday April 29 at 11:30 a.m. at the Camino Real Hotel, 101 S. El Paso St.
WHO: County Attorney José R. Rodríguez
WHAT: BBB's Annual Meeting
WHEN: Wednesday April 29, 2009 at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: Camino Real Hotel
101 S. El Paso St.
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BBB Outstanding Leader Award Press Release.pdf