September 23, 1984

JUANITA SCISM of Stafford signed a petition the other day opposing a shooting range. She hasn't heard the end of it since. She is a Stafford native, and in a town where hunting is a way of life, she said, such a reaction is no suprise. ''It's almost like going against God, going against these people,'' she said.

After a five-month inquiry, an independent counsel last week reported that he had found no evidence that Edwin Meese 3d, whose nomination to be Attorney General is stalled in the Senate, had broken any Federal laws. The investigation, overseen by Jacob A. Stein, a Washington defense attorney, was prompted by the revelation - after confirmation hearings had concluded - that Mr. Meese had failed to report a $15,000 interest-free loan to his wife from a friend on the financial disclosure reports he was obliged to file. Mr. Stein was also directed to investigate other questions that were raised during the confirmation hearings about Mr. Meese's financial affairs and whether he had helped arrange Administration jobs for several people who had loaned him money. In their examination of 11 specific allegations of possible misconduct, Mr. Stein and his investigators questioned 200 witnesses and called 45 of them to testify before a Federal grand jury.

The future of a family's house or condominium after the death of one or both of the owners is a matter of major concern to most families. Above all, there is the threat that the property may have to be sold to pay inheritance taxes. Lawyers have found that in certain instances the surviving spouse, usually the widow, may discover too late that she does not automatically have the right to occupy the house for the rest of her life. And in an age-restricted condominium, professionals warn, couples should be prepared for the problem of denied occupancy if the survivor or the heirs are below the minimum age.

Building along the inviting but flood-prone shore areas between the village of Westhampton Beach, L.I., and the Atlantic Ocean has always been a risky proposition. That is why zoning ordinances now require that any new construction be at least seven feet above sea level.

Nicaragua has announced that it will accept a draft peace treaty for Central America proposed two weeks ago by the four nations known as the Contadora group. The text of the draft treaty has not been made public, but diplomats and others familiar with its contents said it would require signers to offer amnesty to political dissidents, hold impartial elections under independent auspices and end support for groups fighting to overthrow other governments. In addition, the agreement would ban the construction of foreign military bases in Central America and would reduce and eventually eliminate military advisers from outside the area. Many Questions Open The agreement is considered an interim step toward a final peace, and leaves many questions open. Most notably, it does not commit any country to specific arms limitations. Instead, it establishes a commission to collect data and produce a formula to determine how much military power each country needs for defense.