by "ImmoralMinority" (araimondo)
Published 02/23/2017 at 19:41
by "ImmoralMinority" (araimondo)
Published 02/23/2017 at 19:41
No Tags
STARS: 5
2 days at war with the government. Useless expressions of authority in a process designed to crush the spirit. I knew I was in trouble when the mediator said she could not understand how targeting my client’s license for nonrenewal because she wanted to defend herself was wrong. She saw that as appropriate for a government agency. I can’t help it but I think like a public defender that government muscles should only be flexed for damn good reasons. But humanity and perspective are not in the nature of any government. I think I became a lawyer because I have a visceral reaction to the exercise of government authority upon the people.
We didn’t get the deal we wanted, but we got one we can live with. It was time to stop the bleeding. It hurts to know my clients don’t have the money to fight the US government. My client was almost in tears today. “I am an immigrant, too,” she told the mediator, “They are angry because they want to treat me like a little Mexican woman who doesn’t matter.”
It broke my heart, and I felt as helpless as I did when the weight of the state fell upon a homeless client when I was a public defender (I handled a lot of shopping cart theft cases.) I am too idealistic about the right to counsel.
Went for a ride on the Vespa and now I am having a beer.
Tomorrow will be better. Monday, I have mediation in a nasty discrimination case. Plaintiff and defendant are cousins. Lovely.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/23/2017 at 19:59, STARS: 3
Sounds like you did your best for her. There’s real value in that. Don’t forget it.
None of my business, but a lot of your posts are about drinking. It’s starting to worry me a bit.
"bob and john" (bobandjohn)
02/23/2017 at 20:14, STARS: 1
are they? 1/10 it seems. not any worse then 4 muddy feet or Svend.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/23/2017 at 20:32, STARS: 2
I guess it’s more the context. Drinking to blow off stress or alleviate sad feelings as opposed to drinking for celebration or just to enjoy a good beer.
Look at me playing internet psychologist. I’ll stop now.
"Svend" (svend)
02/23/2017 at 20:32, STARS: 3
Hey. I don’t have a drinking problem, as long as I’ve got a drink.
It becomes a drinking problem if I’ve nothing to drink. Lol.
Besides, me and 4muddyfeet are British and live in the north of England, it’s a northern thing. We’re social drinkers, just we’re very social. Lol.
"bob and john" (bobandjohn)
02/23/2017 at 20:35, STARS: 1
eh, maybe. then again he doesnt have the sunchaser or the vespa atm (maybe?) so a beer sounds pretty good.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
02/23/2017 at 20:36, STARS: 2
“but we got one we can live with.”
They tried to put her out of business. You stopped that. You done good.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/23/2017 at 20:45, STARS: 1
I know enough British to know that’s accurate. Also, alcohol improves the personalities of most brits. So, it’s really a public service. :p
"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
02/23/2017 at 20:49, STARS: 0
I have heard that meditation doesn’t necessarily go in the defendents favor. Once you accept mediation then there is the implication that some wrong was done. And you are not getting off Scott free. Seems like if the client could afford to go to trial a jury in Fresno is going to be pretty sympathetic.
"Svend" (svend)
02/23/2017 at 20:50, STARS: 1
Lol. It doesn’t so much improve the personalities of most Brits, but makes the company of others we don’t want to keep that more bearable. :p
"f86sabre" (f86sabre)
02/23/2017 at 20:59, STARS: 2
" The Compromiser" (charger)
02/23/2017 at 21:51, STARS: 1
So the mediator thought it was right to punish someone for exercising their constitutional right? Wow. I’m in Canadia, we have no real rights. It still makes me sad to see that no one does.
"ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)" (adabofoppo)
02/23/2017 at 21:57, STARS: 2
Winning against the government requires more money than the government is willing to spend to beat you.
Justice is therefore ONLY for the rich.
Time for anarchy. Fight The Power!
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/23/2017 at 22:01, STARS: 1
Then if I’m ever over there again, I’ll buy you a beer for both our sakes.
"Svend" (svend)
02/23/2017 at 22:07, STARS: 1
Just the one? I’ll bring my own glass then.
Lol.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/23/2017 at 22:19, STARS: 1
I like the way you think.
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
02/23/2017 at 22:30, STARS: 0
Prosecuting someone for shopping cart theft? Jesus...
"Tazio, Count Fouroff" (tazio0625)
02/23/2017 at 23:01, STARS: 2
“...said she could not understand how targeting my client’s license...because she wanted to defend herself was wrong.”
OMG. I can’t even...
Is it that she’s just a complete idiot and therefore unreachable, or does she have some vested interest and is therefore disingenuous?
Thanks for fighting for this lady (client)
"Svend" (svend)
02/23/2017 at 23:27, STARS: 1
Well it was either the one glass or the one can.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/23/2017 at 23:52, STARS: 1
Ha! That’s it. I’m staying at your house.
"Svend" (svend)
02/24/2017 at 00:17, STARS: 1
Lol. I’ll have to pop to work and get another can then. They are only five litres.
"Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen" (distraxi)
02/24/2017 at 00:53, STARS: 0
As a matter of interest, where I come from “I want it to defend myself” is one of the answers which is an automatic fail on your firearms license application. Right up there with “the voices in my head are telling me I need it”. And the vast majority of the citizenry are right behind that.
Cultural differences...
"haveacarortwoorthree2" (haveacarortwoorthree2)
02/24/2017 at 09:55, STARS: 0
I don’t think that is necessarily true regarding mediation. At least where I practice, virtually every case is ordered by the court to be mediated so there is no implication on either side.
Also, the key question often isn’t whether the client can afford to go to trial — it’s whether the client can afford to lose at trial. There are no guarantees, and juries often can be scary. Lawyers actually have been dumb enough to put me on two juries, and I’ve got to say what I’ve heard my fellow jurors discuss scared me as a trial lawyer!
"haveacarortwoorthree2" (haveacarortwoorthree2)
02/24/2017 at 10:04, STARS: 0
It’s actually worse than that — remember that the government folks already are “paid for” in the sense that they are salaried employees (and paid for with someone else’s money). It’s the individual that actually has to come up with the cash to pay for an attorney. Even then, saying justice is only for the rich probably is a bit strong, particularly since a lot of lawyers do pro bono work (I spent over 250 hours last year representing a non-profit that was faced with a bs lawsuit, and my firm covered another $20k in out-of-pocket costs). I guess I’m sort of contradicting myself a bit, so I’ll shut up now!
"ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)" (adabofoppo)
02/24/2017 at 10:45, STARS: 0
I was mostly being sarcastic.