We are going to have to move slowly on this topic; that's because just about all of you know what is taking place down there, and none of it is good news. Oops, I blew that one - there is a piece of good news - they are talking about firing somebody.
Anyway, I think we will start out with a couple of true incidents, so you will be in the right frame of mind to digest the reality there at 36th District Court.
Incident 1: The clerk reads out the case number and the defendant's name. After several seconds of silence, the judge, while still looking at the file, exclaims, "A hundred and fifty dollars for a band to play music - well, that's cheap!" There a couple of seconds of silence, and the judge says, "Well, John Doe, what have you got to say about not paying plaintiff?"
"Your honor, plaintiff came to me during one of the dances I was sponsoring for senior citizens. Residents at the facility did not have to pay for the music or the elaborate refreshments. Plaintiff stated that if I would allow his band to furnish the music, he would bring along 100 of his clients that followed his band wherever he played. I explained to plaintiff that non-residents pay only $1.50, because these events were not intended to make money, but just to cover the cost. So, I continued, if you will bring 100 guests to each occasion, I will accept your offer. Thirty of Plaintiff's clients attended the first time his band played. Ten came the second time. I paid Plaintiff for the first two times his band played, but not for the third time. I told him that he had never brought 100 people to any of these dances, but that he had eaten like a starved person, making many trips to the refreshment tables. What I am saying to the Court is, I did not pay Plaintiff because Plaintiff did not do as he had promised."
The judge then said, "A hundred and fifty dollars is cheap - I'm going to rule in favor of the Plaintiff."
Incident 2: Plaintiff filed charges against Defendant for not paying him after he removed furniture from a vacant house. The presiding judge says to the Defendant, "All right, Mr. John Doe, what have you got to say?"
"Thank you, Your Honor, and please keep in mind that Plaintiff does not have any supporting evidence, and there is not a word of truth in his charges. The house I assume he is talking about is a vacant property: I hired him to clean the floor. There was never any mention of furniture being removed because all the furniture had been removed days before."
The judge interrupted the Defendant:"What have you got in that case there?"
"It contains my case and some other business I will be attending to when I leave here."
"Let me see it," responded the judge. The court officer came over, got the folder and gave it to the judge.
After a few moments of silence, the judge said, "I thought you said there was no furniture in the house."
"That's correct, sir, no furniture at all."
"I see a bed here - don't you call that furniture?"
"I assume you are talking about the kitchen nook. That is material which will be used to cover the stools-"
"I know a bed when I see one," interrupted the judge. This is a bed and my glasses don't let me down."
"Sir, I took those pictures and I know what I had before me."
The judge stuffed my papers back into the folder, handed it to the court officer, and then said, "I'm going to rule on behalf of the Plaintiff."
