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National Petition to Recognize Business Owners’ Right to Represent Their Businesses in Court全国请愿书：承认企业主在法庭上代表其企业的权利

A national petition by Henry (Taihe) Chen, owner and CEO of Ground Crystal, Inc.由 Ground Crystal, Inc. 所有者兼首席执行官 Henry (Taihe) Chen 发起的全国请愿书。

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To the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Congress, the Supreme Courts of All States, and State Legislatures:致：美国联邦最高法院、美国国会、各州最高法院及各州立法机构：

We respectfully petition our nation’s judicial and legislative leaders to recognize and establish the right of business owners to represent their own businesses in civil court proceedings, including appeals, regardless of business size, revenue, number of employees, organizational structure, or ability to afford an attorney.我们谨此郑重请愿，请求我国司法与立法界领袖承认并确立企业主在民事诉讼程序（包括上诉程序）中代表其自身企业的权利，无论企业规模、营收、雇员人数、组织架构或是否有能力负担律师费用。

This is a nationwide issue of access to justice and freedom of choice. Business owners should have the option to retain licensed counsel or personally present their businesses’ claims and defenses through a duly authorized owner.这是关乎诉诸司法公正与选择自由的全国性问题。企业主应当有权选择聘请执业律师，或由经正式授权的企业主亲自提出企业的诉求与抗辩。

I am Henry (Taihe) Chen, owner and CEO of Ground Crystal, Inc. My company’s litigation, Ground Crystal, Inc. v. Kun Huang, Alameda Superior Court Case No. 24CV071608, now on appeal as No. A176915, has brought this issue directly into my life. Continuing attorney fees have become unaffordable for me.我是 Henry (Taihe) Chen，Ground Crystal, Inc. 的所有者兼首席执行官。我公司的诉讼案件——Ground Crystal, Inc. 诉 Kun Huang（阿拉米达县高等法院案号 24CV071608，现上诉案号为 A176915）——让我亲身面对这一问题。持续的律师费用对我而言已难以负担。

My experience motivates this petition, but the requested reform extends to business owners throughout the United States. When attorney representation is mandatory and its cost is beyond a business’s resources, the practical opportunity to pursue a claim, defend against liability, or obtain appellate review may disappear.我的经历促使我发起这份请愿，但所请求的改革惠及全美各地的企业主。当法律强制要求聘请律师、而费用超出企业承受能力时，企业提起诉求、抗辩责任或寻求上诉审查的实际机会可能就此消失。

The principle also extends beyond financial hardship. Owners should not have to prove poverty or meet a business-size restriction to choose owner representation.这一原则也不限于经济困难情形。企业主不应被要求证明贫困，也不应受企业规模限制，才能选择由企业主本人出庭。

We request coordinated federal and state reform establishing the following:我们请求联邦与各州协调改革，确立以下内容：

  1. Owner representation regardless of business size. An individual business owner, duly authorized under the business’s governing documents and applicable organizational law, should have the right to represent that business in civil court proceedings.不论企业规模，企业主均可出庭。依据企业治理文件及适用的组织法获得正式授权的企业主个人，应有权在民事诉讼程序中代表该企业。
  2. Access to federal and state courts. This right should apply nationwide, in both federal and state judicial systems, through the legal changes required within each jurisdiction.适用于联邦和州法院。此项权利应在全国范围内适用于联邦和州司法系统，并通过各司法管辖区所需的法律变革予以落实。
  3. Representation at every stage. The right should encompass commencing and defending actions, filing documents, conducting discovery, presenting evidence, examining witnesses, making arguments, and pursuing or defending appeals.覆盖诉讼全程。此项权利应包括提起诉讼与应诉、提交文书、证据开示、举证、询问证人、发表辩论，以及提起或应对上诉。
  4. Freedom to choose counsel or owner representation. Businesses should remain free to retain attorneys, change representation in accordance with court procedures, or proceed through an authorized owner without demonstrating financial hardship.自由选择聘请律师或由企业主出庭。企业应始终有权聘请律师、依照法院程序变更代理人，或由经授权的企业主出庭，而无需证明经济困难。
  5. Preservation of separate legal identity. Owner representation should not, by itself, eliminate a business entity’s separate legal existence or limited-liability protections.保留独立法人地位。企业主出庭这一行为本身，不应消灭企业实体的独立法律人格或有限责任保护。
  6. Authorization and protection of other owners. Businesses with multiple owners should authorize representation through their lawful decision-making procedures, with safeguards addressing conflicts of interest.多位企业主的授权与保护。有多位企业主的企业，应通过其合法决策程序授权出庭代表，并设置保障措施处理利益冲突。
  7. Accountability and fair proceedings. Owner representatives should comply with applicable procedural and evidentiary rules and enforceable standards of conduct. Courts should retain authority to address misconduct, impose appropriate sanctions, and protect the rights of all parties.问责与公正程序。企业主出庭代表应遵守适用的程序规则、证据规则及可执行的操守标准。法院应保留处理不当行为、施加适当制裁、保护各方当事人权利的权力。
  8. Accessible procedural education. Courts should provide clear guidance and affordable educational resources to help owner representatives understand their responsibilities.易于获取的程序教育。法院应提供清晰的指引和负担得起的教育资源，帮助企业主出庭代表了解自身职责。

We recognize that this proposal seeks changes to existing restrictions on nonlawyer representation of business entities. We ask each institution to act within its constitutional authority to develop and implement a nationwide framework recognizing owner representation.我们认识到，这一提案要求修改现行关于非律师代表企业实体的限制。我们请求各机构在其宪法权限范围内行动，制定并实施承认企业主出庭的全国性框架。

Specifically, we request:具体而言，我们请求：

  • Congressional and state legislative hearings on mandatory attorney representation and its impact on access to justice.国会及各州立法机构就强制聘请律师及其对诉诸司法的影响举行听证会。
  • Consideration by federal and state judicial authorities of appropriate changes to rules governing business representation.联邦及各州司法机关考虑对企业出庭规则作出适当修改。
  • Meaningful participation by business owners of all sizes in developing these reforms.让各种规模的企业主实质性参与这些改革的制定。
  • A clear legal pathway for authorized owners to represent their businesses in both trial and appellate proceedings.为获得授权的企业主在审判和上诉程序中代表企业确立清晰的法律途径。

Business owners should have a meaningful opportunity to bring their businesses’ claims and defenses before a court. Access to justice should not depend solely on the ability to pay attorney fees.企业主应有实质机会在法庭上提出其企业的诉求与抗辩。诉诸司法公正不应完全取决于支付律师费用的能力。

We call for recognition of business owners’ right to choose owner representation throughout the United States.我们呼吁在全美承认企业主选择由企业主出庭的权利。

Respectfully submitted, Henry (Taihe) Chen Owner and CEO, Ground Crystal, Inc.谨呈， Henry (Taihe) Chen Ground Crystal, Inc. 所有者兼首席执行官

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