Recently, the movie “Ghost Busters” came out, and with an all female cast, the remake spurred a lot of controversy (at least on the Internet). For anyone who remember the original, the song “Who You Gonna Call,” certainly could “get in one’s head.” “Who you gonna call: GHOSTBUSTERS.” 
Everyone enjoys a good movie, and during a long California summer, a trip to the movies is certainly worth it. We recommend you see the old, and the new, back-to-back, and make your decision. Which is better? Are they just different? Who cares? Don’t take movies too seriously, please. They’re just movies. Unless you work in the movie industry, or unless you live in Burbank or Los Angeles, the movie industry isn’t something you take that seriously (or should take that seriously).
A Letter from the Bureau of Automotive Repair
But, if you receive a letter from the Bureau of Automotive Repair, or a citation / accusation, then “who you gonna call?” You might be tempted to fight this all yourself, or you might be tempted to go the “informal” route. The BAR makes it seem easy to contest a decision on your SMOG station license or your STAR program participation, but you might be well-advised to be a bit skeptical. Like some of the ghosts in Ghostbusters, they can seem pretty scary and sometimes they actually are. You’re not sure. So, in the movie, they call in the Ghostbusters, and in your case, we’re going to advise you at least think about calling in an attorney skilled with Bureau of Automotive Repair disputes. The rules and regulations aren’t self-evident, certainly not to the average person, just like the rules and regulations that “govern” the “ghosts” of Ghostbusters aren’t exactly obvious either.
More seriously, a professional attorney can help –
- Decipher the Legalize. What does the letter say? What does it mean? If you received a citation or accusation, what do these mean? Lawyers write these letters, and pretty much you need a lawyer to be able to “translate” them as well. As they say, first get the facts. What’s your situation? What are your options? What does this all mean? A lawyer can help you understand what the Bureau of Automotive Repair is trying to tell you.
- Collect the Facts. We will work with you to determine the facts as best possible, and to help you collect the facts to support your side of any dispute. You may not be aware of what facts are out there, and our skilled legal team can advise you on any fact-checking that needs to happen.
- Explore Your Options. You have options, but you need to know what they are. Once we know what you’ve received from the Bureau of Automotive Repair, and once we have some sense of the facts, we can explore – together – what your options are. We can present the upside and the downside, so you know the risks and benefits from any course of action.
- Communication. Our lawyers deal with the Bureau of Automotive Repair on a regular basis. We know their language, and we know what the process and procedures are. So we can communicate your side, effectively, with them in a way that you as a station owner or repair technician cannot.
If your house were invaded by ghosts, you’d look for a specialist, wouldn’t you? More seriously, if your precious BMW broke down, you wouldn’t just let anyone work on it, would you? Well, when it’s your livelihood that’s being impacted by the Bureau of Automotive Repair, you’ll want someone seriously. So who you gonna call?