Court

OK the atty for my tenant thought she could just stipulate to my testimony and that I wouldn't have to appear, but that didn't work. So today I had to schlep several cities over to testify. The good thing was my wife could drive me. I am so brain dead when it comes to road sense--actually truthfully I HAVE no road sense. (I have trail sense when hiking but that would be another post). And she promised I would be the first to testify in the afternoon session, so in the words of our family it would be "in, out, and done."

Except that getting grilled by 4 lawyers for the state is not my idea of fun. It should have been simple. My knowledge as it pertains to this case is rather simplistic. However every time the lawyer for my tenant asked me a question one of the other lawyers was jumping around objecting. It was like watching one of those TV court shows but way less entertaining. At one point they were arguing as to whether I could answer questions asked about a letter I had written for the tenant. They finally convinced the judge that I couldn't, by the way. There were other occasions too, when my staff would report to me in the normal course of business in matters relating to the tenant and I could not testify to that as it falls under "heresay." Never mind that i sent the worker there, that is the law.

However, there is karma. Because on cross exam the state lawyers wanted me to testify to something I could only have heard from someone else and not seen or been part of in any way myself. Again, however, it would have been within the scope of my profession to have heard this information from a staff member. I said that would be heresay and I was unable to comment. Judge backed me. It was small and it in no way means that this case will go the way it should, but it felt right that at least for that one moment in time, there should be a reality check on the foolishness.

I find the whole situation disturbing and depressing. I am glad that I have a 4 year old whose idea of humor is knock knock jokes like:

Why did the chicken cross the playground? (to get to the other slide)

Why are rabbits never sad (because they are always hoppy)

So I will be hoppy!