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Page 3 of 98
PETER CROSS
I take your warning very seriously, your honor, but I was represented in the State of California Superior Court by some of the best divorce attorneys and because they all failed to represent me properly, I lost my two precious young boys. They were ages 10 and 7 at that time.
JUDGE
That's a very serious statement, Mr. Cross, it concerns me. What do you mean when you say they failed to represent you properly?
PETER CROSS
Your honor, not one of the attorneys I hired would say what I told them to say. They all rephrased my words and either omitted important things or added things on their own. Whenever they went into meetings with my instructions on what I wanted to get accomplished, they came out of the meetings with something entirely different. Eventually I realized what they were doing and why they were doing that. It's simply because the judges and the other attorneys are way more important to their careers than any client could possibly be, and the things I asked them to say on my behalf had the potential to evoke a reaction from the judge that they were not prepared to deal with. The ultimate result was that they all failed to obtain one single solitary benefit for me and I lost my children. Now I have no legal career so I have nothing to lose by being direct, completely truthful, and even taking a risk with you if I feel that's appropriate.
JUDGE
Good point, Mr. Cross, I'll buy that. Your case involves a rather interesting complaint concerning a violation of your Constitutional right to protection against cruel and unusual punishment. I've reviewed your complaint and I am considering a summary dismissal in accordance with the defense attorney's brief. What have you got to say? And make it brief.
DA
Your honor, I must point out that plaintiff failed to serve our office with his complaint within the required 30 day period. He also failed to file the Notice of Assignment and the Order Setting Case Management on time. He was over 30 days late.
JUDGE
This appears to be true, Mr. Cross. That's all in the local rules.
PETER CROSS
True, your honor, but there are extenuating circumstances.
JUDGE
Hmmmm. . . Some of your circumstances do appear to be unusual, we'll see how extenuating they are. OK, I want to see both of you in my chambers. Court is recessed for 15 minutes.
BAILIFF
All rise.
SCENE 3: INT. - THE JUDGE'S CHAMBERS
The judge sits behind his lavish polished desk in a modern ergonomically sound chair. Peter and the DA sit opposite his desk in adjacent, tall, straight-backed antique chairs which are purposely tall and antique to make those seated feel small and old.
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Original text and web page design copyright 1996 © Peter Cross
Revision copyright 2005 © Peter Cross
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