Monday, October 24, 2005
The Trial of the Century
The mockery of the Justice system never ceases to amaze me. Almost 10 months ago a friend of mine called me and involved me in her and her ex-H's insane lives. Now I have been called as a witness in a case thanks to her Ex pressing charges against her boyfriend (falsely, at that).
Today was court date #3? *I have lost count*... A paid day off work for me - thanks to a wonderful benefits and compensation plan at work. But also 2.5 hours at the court house and the drive there and back...And the stressing and body aches and my poor intestines... oh my....
Needless to say... it hasn't been the best day.
Especially when the judge said that he did not have time to hear the evidence and the trial would have to be adjourned. A new date would be set - AGAIN... and we would have to come back.
I don't want to go back. I didn't want to go today. There is so much sitting and waiting, and sitting and waiting and being quiet and standing then sitting and waiting... and you have to listen to the lawyers drone on in lawyer speak about who did what and why "he" should not go to jail but only pay a fine instead. Then there is a recess - but you don't get to play, you have to go sit in the other room and wait some more because you don't know for sure how long the recess is going to be, then you have to go back into court and the lawyer doesn't show... YUP... the LAWYER was MIA. So there was another recess while they searched for him.
When they found him that's when we were told we had to come back again... sometime.
I will be subpoenaed again.
I will have to go back.
I will get another paid day off work.
I will be stressed and annoyed and anxious all over again.
I am losing my faith in the legal system.
It takes too long for an innocent man to be 'freed' of charges.
People can make false claims against other humans and the lies can continue for years. Society is filled with liars and morals mean nothing to those that live through those lies.
I am being forced to rearrange my life because one person chooses to lie.
I have to deal with the stress and anxiety that this has caused me emotionally and physically... and there is nothing I can do about it.
I don't know whether to cry, laugh, sleep, eat myself into oblivion, or walk until my legs won't move.
But crying is counterproductive and I would have to admit how much this man has caused me pain.
Laughter is the best medicine and heals all wounds, but it will get me nowhere today. Reading other blogs have helped. (sorry to those I have lurked on today - too many to mention or link too I'm afraid and I'm too lazy to look it up too.)
I've managed to eat more today than I have all week... and I have been paying for it by feeling sick all day... really... really sick... ouch my stomach. Oblivion here I come!
And walking... well it's getting late, and the last time I was outside was after court and it was pretty cold out there then. And starting to rain... again. Not really a good day for a walk.
Keeping busy has been my mantra for the afternoon. That way I don't think. Reading blogs, IMing friends and family, watched/listened to a movie and I annoyed the cat too... that's always fun.
I don't do stress well. My body doesn't like it.
Now I just want it to be over.
The sad thing is that I went to the courthouse this morning knowing that it wouldn't be done today. I knew it would be held over.
If we had gone to trial I would have had a full blown panic attack as I was unprepared for that.
That's the irony.
And I was right.
Today was court date #3? *I have lost count*... A paid day off work for me - thanks to a wonderful benefits and compensation plan at work. But also 2.5 hours at the court house and the drive there and back...And the stressing and body aches and my poor intestines... oh my....
Needless to say... it hasn't been the best day.
Especially when the judge said that he did not have time to hear the evidence and the trial would have to be adjourned. A new date would be set - AGAIN... and we would have to come back.
I don't want to go back. I didn't want to go today. There is so much sitting and waiting, and sitting and waiting and being quiet and standing then sitting and waiting... and you have to listen to the lawyers drone on in lawyer speak about who did what and why "he" should not go to jail but only pay a fine instead. Then there is a recess - but you don't get to play, you have to go sit in the other room and wait some more because you don't know for sure how long the recess is going to be, then you have to go back into court and the lawyer doesn't show... YUP... the LAWYER was MIA. So there was another recess while they searched for him.
When they found him that's when we were told we had to come back again... sometime.
I will be subpoenaed again.
I will have to go back.
I will get another paid day off work.
I will be stressed and annoyed and anxious all over again.
I am losing my faith in the legal system.
It takes too long for an innocent man to be 'freed' of charges.
People can make false claims against other humans and the lies can continue for years. Society is filled with liars and morals mean nothing to those that live through those lies.
I am being forced to rearrange my life because one person chooses to lie.
I have to deal with the stress and anxiety that this has caused me emotionally and physically... and there is nothing I can do about it.
I don't know whether to cry, laugh, sleep, eat myself into oblivion, or walk until my legs won't move.
But crying is counterproductive and I would have to admit how much this man has caused me pain.
Laughter is the best medicine and heals all wounds, but it will get me nowhere today. Reading other blogs have helped. (sorry to those I have lurked on today - too many to mention or link too I'm afraid and I'm too lazy to look it up too.)
I've managed to eat more today than I have all week... and I have been paying for it by feeling sick all day... really... really sick... ouch my stomach. Oblivion here I come!
And walking... well it's getting late, and the last time I was outside was after court and it was pretty cold out there then. And starting to rain... again. Not really a good day for a walk.
Keeping busy has been my mantra for the afternoon. That way I don't think. Reading blogs, IMing friends and family, watched/listened to a movie and I annoyed the cat too... that's always fun.
I don't do stress well. My body doesn't like it.
Now I just want it to be over.
The sad thing is that I went to the courthouse this morning knowing that it wouldn't be done today. I knew it would be held over.
If we had gone to trial I would have had a full blown panic attack as I was unprepared for that.
That's the irony.
And I was right.
Dragonfly 10/24/2005 11:21:00 PM
4 Comments:
there are any number of reasons why the case was heldover. The judge has the given right to hold cases over. This is especially true when there is new information given which not everyone is aware of.Chances are that while you were at 'recess' the judge was hearing arguements from the lawyers as to why there should be a delay. The judge has the right to tell or not to tell the reasons behind the delay. As this case may have been heard in open court it makes sense not to tell the reasons behind the decision. as not everyone there has an interest in that particular case.
As for the time frame as to when the event first happened and going to trial. These things take time as there is a massive backlog in the court system. As uttering threats alone is not considered a major crime it is not given priority over other crimes.
As well if there was new information presented time will be needed to research not only claims but to also see what the law says on these matters. Even though lawyers are smart they are only human (contrary to popular believe) and do not have intimate knowledge of every law and every opinion on every matter.
It is unfortuate that you had to take time off work for what you saw as nothing but it wasn't nothing as there has obviously been new information presented today that you were not aware of. Hopefully this was the last of the new information to be examined and followed up and that next time there will be a decision on the case.
As for the time frame as to when the event first happened and going to trial. These things take time as there is a massive backlog in the court system. As uttering threats alone is not considered a major crime it is not given priority over other crimes.
As well if there was new information presented time will be needed to research not only claims but to also see what the law says on these matters. Even though lawyers are smart they are only human (contrary to popular believe) and do not have intimate knowledge of every law and every opinion on every matter.
It is unfortuate that you had to take time off work for what you saw as nothing but it wasn't nothing as there has obviously been new information presented today that you were not aware of. Hopefully this was the last of the new information to be examined and followed up and that next time there will be a decision on the case.
I hope the next time you have to go to court is the last time, and then everything will get better!
Thanks Paige
I haven't been to court yet. Notice, I said yet!! LOL