So many ways to start this one. How about: Greetings from Alderpoint, the gem of the Eel river. Or: It is still like being punched in the gut, but I recover much faster now. But perhaps: I had not been to a consensus meeting in years. But maybe the best lead: TUC radio is going to film a workshop I am giving in a couple of weeks. As you can see it was an exciting day, with rather more ups and downs than usual. Actually, as faithful readers will know, downs are unusual for me, but so is a day with such ups in it. Life is balance, no doubt, but for me the balance is tilted up, and thats still true even after todays downer. Shall I start at the beginning? Aristotle not withstanding, I think I shall. I was representing my protestor clients today, which meant that there would be some people in court supporting them. I had given out the information that we would be in court G. Turns out that one case was in B, the other in H. Then it turned out that H cases were being heard in B today. So I went up to G to let anyone know who had been lead astray, and found one of my clients asking a puzzled court clerk to check the computer to see where he should go. Finally we were all together: clients, co-counsel, supporters, judge, bailiff, clerk and court reporter. As a courtesy judges will often call private counsel first - that is, first after prisoners in custody. So if you have a case and you are in a hurry, hire a lawyer. Soon enough we got our cases called. Co-counsel Phil DeJong had filed a brilliant motion saying in effect that the DA had filed the wrong charges and he wanted either a stipulation that he would not file the correct ones, or a continuance of the trial for discovery on the issues the correct charges would require. I love activist law. We are having a conference with the DA to try and settle the case, and so will probably never get to trial. I have 3 trials scheduled in the next month and I bet I dont get to do any of them. When we left the courtroom it seemed like most of the people in the audience left with us. Activists get support in court, unlike people with DUIs or pot charges. We had a meeting in the hall and it was consensed that I would give a workshop on legal matters for the activists in a couple of weeks. A tall woman with an accent asked if she could record the workshop, and I was about to tell her that she sounded just like Maria Gilardin from TUC radio when she introduced herself as Maria Gilardin from TUC radio. Turns out she wanted to video the workshop, too. My grandsons fancy was caught by the idea of TUC radio making a video. Frankly, I think the chances of my presentation being broadcast on TUC are slim to none due to the nature of what I will have to say. Ill be talking about whether or not to confess, non-violent direct action, is there any purpose in having a jury trial. Stuff like that, and probably with many interruptions for questions, and must too local for national radio. Good to do, but not great radio. Still, thats her problem. Mine is making a useful presentation and maybe shes a great editor. Im pleased she thinks it is worthwhile to try. Then I went to the motel and wrote up a discovery request, using my portable printer to get a copy. I had changed into regular clothes and took it to the DAs office to give it to them. The screener recognized me and waived me through. Clothes are not the only thing that makes the man, I suppose. It was showering, and I had to get to Garberville where two people had promised to bring me money - always something of interest to an attorney with a $900 per month Westlaw account - so I passed on buying any new pavers for my walkway. Just as well since I got to Garberville with not too much time to spare. Turned out that only one of the people bringing me money showed up. The other one had called and left a message to say they were giving their money to a different attorney. Thats never any fun, but I have a very high opinion of my ability to handle the kinds of cases I handle (activists, DUI and pot) so I solaced myself by thinking their case would probably turn out worse for them, and then realized that they would never know that their case could have turned out better, so while their external reality would be altered for the worse, their internal reality would not. In fact they will probably think they saved some money, and be happy. Certainly I would never tell them about the alternate universe with the happier ending that they had missed entering. I never get used to people changing their minds at the last moment, altho it happens to all of us in the law biz. In fact one of my current clients started off by turning me down for another attorney, but had the good luck to realize their mistake. :). So I went home to find the family gathered around a very pleasant fire in the wood stove, and soon it was cocktail hour, then a meal from the Jerusalem cookbook which tasted delicious, and now to bed. Good night friends. Did you notice it rained. Hooray.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 07:54:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015