Evan Hoffmanwrites:Imagine not being able to go to Thanksgiving dinner with your family because your judge won't set a hearing on an agreed motion. That's what is happening to my client.
I have a client who recently resolved his cases and is currently on house arrest. He lives in Broward county and wants to attend Thanksgiving with his family in Broward. (That's right he is not leaving the county).
His cc officer told him to get a court order to have permission to leave his house. I filed a motion, got the State to agree, and was told that the judge was out Wednesday and there was no room on the docket Tuesday. (That's right no time for an agreed motion just to have the judge sign the order).
My office asked the ja who is covering her calendar and the ja said she would call my office back to tell us. Lo and behold the ja never called back so we called her. Her response was that she deleted the email of who the duty judge is. So I had to call around and find out the duty judge. Now because the ja wouldn't set a 5 second agreed hearing I'm at the mercy of the duty judge to sign the agreed order.
Of course it would be nice if the ja of the assigned judge would let us email the stipulated order or let us fax it in but apparently that's not permitted.
Now I have to tell my client's family that Judge McCarthy did not have room on her calendar to set an agreed 5 second hearing or permit us to fax or email the paperwork.
Here's hoping that the duty judge finds it within themselves to understand my frustration and sign the order.
What happened to open access to the court?
Happy Thanksgiving to you all and hopefully my client will spend his Thanksgiving with his family as well.
Evan Hoffman
(Post a comment if you've also had trouble getting things on McCarthy's docket. We're told Evan's not alone this Holiday Season ...)
COMING SOON-Dancing to Boss Reporting's tune ...