My day in court

[china mom]

I had to share my cray morning.

I was scheduled for court for a civil case where I was the defendant but was actually working together with the plaintiff to get something that I wanted to do anyway, ordered by the court.

They had to bring in a visiting judge from the neighboring county due to local judge having a conflict of interest involving the plaintiff.

So, as I am waiting for them to call our case, I hear a case being called for landlord tenant court. Wit a minute... I recognize the name of the Property Management company. Heeey, now wait another minute, I recognize the name of the tenant...That's MY tenant. I knew he was having trouble with the rent but had no idea we had court today.

Then, my case is called. I approach and make a motion to amend some of the paperwork, which the judge accepts. Then, during testimony, he kinda smirked and proceeds to give me a hard time, asking specifically what my current job title was and making a point of saying that he "wanted to make sure he addressed me correctly". He made some jokes about my job and asked some specifics about my current position at which time, I took the opportunity to look him dead eyed and say I had to leave my last job due to the working conditions.

That job I left (which I did love, BTW) was working for him! The whole thing was hysterical and a lot of fun. The bailiff was very confused by the whole interaction (we were the last case on the morning docket so there was no one else there). I haven't seen him in several years so it was nice to catch up.

It was a day of "its a small world".

 

[Allison]

I'm not sure I really follow this story but sounds like a busy morning.

 

[cabanafrau]

The Judge didn't recuse himself based on your prior relationship? Seems a bit . . . irregular.

 

[Cadiewampus]

The Judge didn't recuse himself based on your prior relationship? Seems a bit . . . irregular.

Yep I would have thought he would have. Strange

 

[happily single]

That's odd that he didn't recuse himself. But, going to court is a whole new experience! I always say when I think I want to date I go spend the morning in Family Court lol

 

[china mom]

The Judge didn't recuse himself based on your prior relationship? Seems a bit . . . irregular.

He didn't know I was involved until he saw me in court standing in for the defendant. But, the case was completely non-adversarial. I actually told the plaintiff to file a court action and I sent him the forms and examples of how to fill them out. On Tuesday, we will be filing a joint motion for dismissal and I already had my boss sign his part of the motion as the defendant.

The only reason we were in court was so that I could get a court order telling me to do something that I want to do anyway. I have been going before a different visiting judge for these cases and he knows exactly what we are trying to accomplish but it got set before the local judge and he recused himself as soon as he saw the plaintiff's name.

I wish I could be more specific to make it all make sense.

 

[cabanafrau]

That's odd that he didn't recuse himself. But, going to court is a whole new experience! I always say when I think I want to date I go spend the morning in Family Court lol

Family court these days is once again absolutely not for the faint of heart. The housing market these days has returned it to the snake pit it was post the housing crash with a vengeance.

 

[PacificCoaster]

Pardon? I'm in the legal field and I can't make heads or tails of any of what the OP is trying to convey.

 

[china mom]

Pardon? I'm in the legal field and I can't make heads or tails of any of what the OP is trying to convey.

I know. I am being a bit cryptic.

It was a morning of coincidences.

First that they brought in a visiting judge from a neighboring county because of the conflict with the plaintiff and it turned out that it was the judge that I used to work for.

Then, to be sitting there and discover that my house was the subject of a landlord tenant case in the same courtroom.

If it helps clarify, I wanted to return some property to the other party but just handing it to him would open myself and my employer to potential liability. So, I told him to file a Replevin action and I would not contest it. This was the Show Cause for the Replevin. Now that I have the court order in hand, I will give him back his stuff and we will move to dismiss the case.