OUR GOAL at The Madison County Record is to cover Madison County's legal system in a way that enables you, our readers, to make the public business your business. It's an understatement to say that Madison County's courts have become a lightning rod for the national press. We shouldn't be surprised by the attention, as companies from all across the United States have been forced to defend their actions here, in our small town, unassuming Edwardsville courthouse. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the happenings at 157 North Main Street, no one should believe that what happens here is the norm. Madison County's Courts are anything but average. A welcome mat to class action filings and lottery-like awards have helped create a "judicial hellhole" reputation. Not to suggest that normal always means good. In many cases throughout American history the norm has meant the wrong course. The country's greatest leaders have often been maligned for deviance long before receiving credit for courage and vision.