function verify_element(elem, msg) {
                if (elem.type != null) {
                        lType = elem.type;
                        lFocus = elem;
                } else {
                        lType = elem[0].type;
                        lFocus = elem[0];
                }
                valid = true;
                switch (lType) {
                        // Text fields
                        case "text":
                        case "textarea":
                                if (elem.value == "") {valid=false;}
                                break;
                        
                        // Drop-down validation, Assume first option is "Please select from List"
                        case "select-one":
                        case "select-multiple":
                                if (elem.selectedIndex == 0) {valid=false;}
                                break;

                        // Checkbox validation
                        case "checkbox":
                                valid = false;
                                if (elem.lenght != null) {
                                        for (counter = 0; counter < elem.length; counter++) {
                                                if (elem[counter].checked) {
                                                        valid = true;
                                                }
                                        }
                                } else if (elem.checked == true) {
                                        valid = true;
                                }
                                break;

                        // Checkbox validation
                        case "radio":
                                valid = false;
                                if (elem.lenght != null) {
                                        for (counter = 0; counter < elem.length; counter++) {
                                                if (elem[counter].checked) {
                                                        valid = true;
                                                }
                                        }       
                                } else if (elem.checked == true) {
                                        valid = true;
                                }       
                                break; 
                } 
                 
                if (!valid) {   
                        alert(msg);
                        lFocus.focus();
                        lRet = false;
                } else { 
                        lRet = true;
                } 
                 
                return lRet; 
        }