DIX RESIGNS HIS ATTORNEY GENERAL POST

JACKSON - Jeffrey P. Dix, who has managed a branch office of the Missouri Attorney General in Jackson for the last 2 years, has announced he will resign his position, effective March 1.

Dix, who worked for the attorney general's office four years, moved here to open the branch office that serves Southeast Missouri. Dix said he wants to return to private practice and will open a law office in Jackson next month.

"I had been in private practice before in Poplar Bluff for 17 months after graduating from law school, and always liked it," explained Dix. "I wanted to move back to private practice eventually and it seemed like now the opportunity was there to do it."

Most of his work at the Jackson office pertained to consumer complaints, and he was assigned to the Public Protection Division of the attorney general's office. Before moving to Jackson, he worked in Jefferson City for the divisions that handle felony appeals and litigation.

"I will miss being able to help people with their consumer protection problems and answer their questions, but hopefully I will get some clients that have consumer-type problems," remarked Dix.

As he prepares to leave the Jackson office, Dix stressed that he is proud of what was accomplished during his tenure and believes the office has established a firm presence in Southeast Missouri.

"Initially when I came down, we had nothing to do because people had no idea we were here. Those that did, had no idea what we did," said Dix.

So, Dix began making speeches to groups around the area to explain the goals of the office, filed some lawsuits, and issued press releases about the office and about some of the fraudulent schemes and businesses that were operating in the area. That educational effort worked.

Dix estimates he has handled at least 1,000 inquiries since the office opened.

Dix said he is pleased that his office has been successful in making people aware of possible scams and the need to check into questionable schemes or offers.

At first, he pointed out, people were calling to say they had been victimized by a scam and wanted to know what he could do about it. Now, they are calling to ask for information about companies of which they are unsure.

"Before, people called to say they were ripped off; now we are helping people from being ripped off," observed Dix.

He receives four to seven calls a day from people inquiring about businesses or schemes. The office gets only about one call a week now from victims of scams.

"Our number one goal is to educate the people before hand," declared Dix.

During his tenure here, about 15 lawsuits have been filed as a result of complaints made in this area, including one settled recently which was a $429,000 judgment against the James Kellett Co. in Sikeston regarding a scheme of selling storage tanks.

In many instances, when people call to complain about a company, Dix has tried to talk with the business to work out problems informally.

In his letter of resignation to Attorney General William Webster, Dix noted: "I believe that our office in Cape Girardeau has not only been beneficial in protecting the area consumers from fraudulent businesses, but it has also been a detriment to those businesses by making consumers conscious of such practices, and educating them in smart buying tactics, etc. We receive several calls each day from consumers with questions regarding companies, sweepstakes, etc. before the consumers have participated in such dealings."

Dix said he did not know when he would be replaced, but said the normal process would be to give current staff members an opportunity to apply for the job.

Cape County Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep, who worked with Webster to have the Southeast Missouri office placed in the county courthouse, said as far as he knows, the attorney general has been pleased with the office here and will continue to staff it.

Huckstep added that he has little involvement with the office since it is a state office, but feels it is good to have a branch office in this part of the state.

"The idea of bringing the state attorney general's office closer to the people is a good idea," he said.