If you thought UFO sightings only belonged in science fiction movies and late night TV, and that believers existed on the fringe of society, think again. It is a little known fact that for over thirty years UFO investigations and contact with ETs have been debated even in our respected US courtrooms.

Peter Gersten, AKA the UFO lawyer, is a maverick who for the last twenty years has been blazing a trail for those who have experienced frightening and unexplainable events, by giving them a voice in a society where they have been previously shunned. The founding director of CAUS (Citizens Against UFO Secrecy), Gersten is opposed to keeping UFO information from the American public. Lacking the sensationalism of other publicized court cases, the success of CAUS is not generally known, except among UFO researchers. It may come as a surprise to know that Gersten, representing Ground Saucer Watch, won his first UFO-related case in 1977 against the CIA, which resulted in the release of over 900 pages of UFO-related documents. Even more interesting is the fact that 57 documents were allowed to be withheld, claiming national security considerations. Since that day, Gersten has challenged this claim, forming CAUS and bringing even more relevant issues into the spotlight by bringing them into the courtroom.

CAUS is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the secrecy that is associated with UFO and ET contact. Targeted projects include the release of information from the government, the investigation into UFO phenomenon and the appropriate collection and dispersal of information.

Gersten and the people involved in CAUS are so dedicated that services are offered pro bono to eye witnesses or individuals who possess physical or other genuine evidence. As would be expected in any lawyer-client relationship, confidentiality is guaranteed.

One might ask how someone becomes a UFO lawyer. Not surprisingly, there is no field specific to this practice. To date, Gersten is the only attorney to successfully sue the government for UFO documents. He trained and practiced as a traditional lawyer for years before finding his niche and committing himself to these projects. Before he became the UFO lawyer, he practiced criminal law in New York for 25 years. He now practices law in Arizona, where he currently is a trial attorney with the Navajo County Public Defenders Office. Maybe in the near to distant future, as more information is released and the public becomes more aware of UFO phenomenon, there will be a greater call for lawyers in this field, and firms may be established for that end. Until then, interested persons would certainly be wise to study science and technology, as well as the traditional courses required for a JD.

Copyright 2006 Francesca Black