Is this the face of justice?
I had my first ever court hearing today. It was a housing law case, before a county court judge in chambers. I had prepped for this case for the last week, meticulously researching the points of law, digging out cases both in favour and against our case...
I had assembled evidence, prepared counter-arguments and wrote a 3 page long skeleton argument.
I was all ready for battle.
1pm - arrived an hour early to hopefully meet the other site to reach an agreement.
1:50pm - other side arrives. Agent managing the property is a fiesty woman, not willing to discuss the issue. She brings out all these 'facts' I have never heard of before.
2:10pm - we enter the court room. Judge is a 40+ white male. I give him my 'skeleton argument'. He says " That's pretty fleshy for a skeleton." (in a not-too-nice way...not a joking way). 'Woman from the other side' fires off her case - claims the notice is valid. Judge says he agrees. I try to say something. Judge says he wants to read my skeleton argument first.
Judge asks me to summarise my case. I re-state the 3 main points. I refer him to the 2 cases in support of my arguments. He reads the summary of them. I quote him the main point from the more authoritative one.
Other side rebuts- they bring out all these 'facts', about letters and phonecalls and meetings. I attempt to ask them WHERE these alleged letters are. Judges tells me not to interrupt.
Judge then proceeds to give judgment without asking for sight of these 'letters'. He bases his decision all on ONE case, ignores the Court of Appeal case I quoted, and states that he is not bound by the county court case. He refuses to adjourn, refuses rights of appeal and that is it!?!?!?!?!?!??!
WTF?! he hasn't listened to our arguments, he hasn't asked for evidence. He has ignored the case I quoted and read to him. He hasn't BOTHERED to think?!?!? Effectively, he had read the claim form the night before, had already decided in his mind that he agrees with it, and despite the evidence I put before him, he fails to think about it!
So much for justice, so much for the law... life is unfair. And this is proof.
I had assembled evidence, prepared counter-arguments and wrote a 3 page long skeleton argument.
I was all ready for battle.
1pm - arrived an hour early to hopefully meet the other site to reach an agreement.
1:50pm - other side arrives. Agent managing the property is a fiesty woman, not willing to discuss the issue. She brings out all these 'facts' I have never heard of before.
2:10pm - we enter the court room. Judge is a 40+ white male. I give him my 'skeleton argument'. He says " That's pretty fleshy for a skeleton." (in a not-too-nice way...not a joking way). 'Woman from the other side' fires off her case - claims the notice is valid. Judge says he agrees. I try to say something. Judge says he wants to read my skeleton argument first.
Judge asks me to summarise my case. I re-state the 3 main points. I refer him to the 2 cases in support of my arguments. He reads the summary of them. I quote him the main point from the more authoritative one.
Other side rebuts- they bring out all these 'facts', about letters and phonecalls and meetings. I attempt to ask them WHERE these alleged letters are. Judges tells me not to interrupt.
Judge then proceeds to give judgment without asking for sight of these 'letters'. He bases his decision all on ONE case, ignores the Court of Appeal case I quoted, and states that he is not bound by the county court case. He refuses to adjourn, refuses rights of appeal and that is it!?!?!?!?!?!??!
WTF?! he hasn't listened to our arguments, he hasn't asked for evidence. He has ignored the case I quoted and read to him. He hasn't BOTHERED to think?!?!? Effectively, he had read the claim form the night before, had already decided in his mind that he agrees with it, and despite the evidence I put before him, he fails to think about it!
So much for justice, so much for the law... life is unfair. And this is proof.