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About two weeks ago I started receiving up to a dozen snail-mail letters and postcards a day for a person whom I had never heard of. They were from lawyers. These letters were properly addressed to my address.

I'm not going to repeat the name, but let's just say that it is a very common name that ends in z.

Apparently Mr. Z was charged with a criminal offense in Harris County. Either he gave my address as his, or someone entered the address incorrectly into the district clerk's system.

I've mentioned previously that this town has a bunch of streets with easily confused names, such as Avenue M and Avenue M 1/2.

I managed to convince the "letter carrier" that Mr. Z does not and never did live here, and I have no idea who he is or where to find him.

In my spare time, I got to wondering if I should worry about process servers or even LEOs with a search warrant showing up.

Thoughts?

- Jim

When I first got the home phone number I am using now, I got a number of calls from the local Sheriff's office seeking to contact someone I never heard of. I don't think they were looking to hand out good-driving awards for this person. In any case, I told them I had just got the number and never heard of this person, and after awhile the calls stopped. No raids on my house.

Perhaps if there is some indication of which agency has business with Mr. Z, you could call them and try to short-circuit future communications by mail or in person. But my bureaucratic instincts say is is a low-percentage shot. Maybe Giga or Excalibur or Srothstein know sumpin' in cop-speak that can help.

As a last resort, you could turn bounty-hunter, find Mr. Z yourself, and turn him in.

Good luck

I have had mail and phone calls directed to former occupants of the house or people who formerly had our current phone number, but they faded out years ago. (Someone who had our phone number was a major-league deadbeat. )

I tried to find an appropriate contact with the Harris County District Clerk. I gave up. I doubt I can do anything simple to get an official record changed.

No one here will be opening the doors to anyone who does not have a signed and sealed court order.

- Jim

Write on the envelope:

"Return to sender
Recipient unknown"

You could even print up labels. Eventually, they will get the message.

I have done that. I just didn't realize how many criminal defense attorneys there were.

Oh, for the good old days when barratry was illegal.

- Jim