*sigh*

[indiana_j]

The lawyer was...well, helpful in telling me what to expect when I go to court.  He, however, would charge me $600+ if he was my rep. and told me I was better off without one considering how small this lawsuit is (small for him!  Big for me!).  I'm going to call the other parties lawyer tomorrow and see if I can't figure out they why's -- the first court date (which is apparently me showing up and going "Yes, I owe that money/hell no I don't owe that money") is still on 2/5/07s...next Tuesday.

I have to be there at 11 -- how long does it take to get into the actual court?

(Also, the lawyer didn't shake my hand when I met him and I had to force him to shake my hand when I left -- I wore slacks and a business suit jacket and found him in jeans and he was treating me like the kid.  I'm 26, not 5...)

And then I decided to kill two birds with one stone and took my car back to the shop to get the alignment done.  I have to do that and get the windshield looked at before it passes inspection.  I get there at 4, get told it'll take about an hour.  At 5:15, I get told their putting in my filter.  At 6:15, not even Harry Dresden can hold my interest as my irritation rises.

I pay at 6:30, walk out into the cold and find myself staring at a guy trying to put in the filter.  The thing they were doing over an hour ago?  That thing.  They tell me I can go back inside and wait, since it's freezing, and I stubbornly refuse and spend the next ten minutes glaring giant holes of burning anger into the backs of their skulls as they try to get it in.

I was terrified that if I went back in, my engine would catch on fire and they'd have to work on it another hour or so.

...I have two Reese's cups shaped like Easter Eggs and I'm not afraid to eat them. *chews*

What a day.

Comments

[marag.livejournal.com]

So wait...the idjits still haven't told you why they claim you owe them money? Unbelievable! Literally, I *cannot* believe they'd go to all this trouble rather than just saying "Yo, we never got your last rent check" or whatever they managed to lose/misplace/screw up.

I still think that the judge is gonna be pissed that you have no idea why you're there. Which is definitely a plus for you.

Oh, and don't get me started on being treated like a kid. Grrr. We short women don't get no respect!

[indiana-j.livejournal.com]

I'm going to hopefully find out what's going on tomorrow during work -- I'll give the other lawyers a call and hope really hard they don't try to bully me. XD

We really don't! I know I look like I'm 20, not 26, but still. I came there for help, you know? I think he realized pretty quick that there was no money to be made.

[smittywing.livejournal.com]

*facepalm* I don't wanna be a lawyer anymore. NICE PROFESSIONALISM DUDE.

I have never been to the Prince William's County courthouse, but I would expect to arrive at least 30-45 minutes early. There may be limited parking, you'll probably have to go through building security, and one thing that courthouses are not is publicly accessible - you will be on the wrong floor or in the wrong courtroom or just plain wandering around. (When I was doing court administration stuff, I would go to all these conferences where we would sit around and discuss this and then go back home and do absolutely nothing about it.)

I can't represent you because I'm not a lawyer and I'm not allowed to give you legal advice until I pass the bar, but if you think it would be helpful to have someone else read the papers and try to figure out what's going on, I would not charge you $600. I might charge you a chai latte if we met somewhere with free internet but that's really more like a donation to the Keep Smitty Caffeinated Cause.

[indiana-j.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that helps to know, thanks.

Aww. *hugs* I would totally pitch into the Keep Smitty Caffeinated Cause because your awesome and if you were a lawyer, I'd hire you.

[starbuck09.livejournal.com]

Hey, let me know if you need support at court, someone to wait outside for you or anything. I can ask for Tuesday off and come up Monday night if you need me. Not as a witness or anything, but just there for moral support :) I'm sure it's going to be a very stressful day.

[deathpixie]

This is a fantastic idea, even if she says no. *grins* Court is scary if you're not used to it, and having a friend there helps. Book that day off? ;)

*waves to Jen* Don't mind me, organising your life for you. Look over there, it's... a monkey! With Harry Dresden!

[indiana-j.livejournal.com]

Hey, wait...ohh, monkey and Harry! *flails at*

;) Aw, you're welcome to organize all you like because you make it cute organizing. *grins and hugs* But yeah, seems like the sister will be coming up Monday night.

[indiana-j.livejournal.com]

...you know, it's really CREEPY that the sister icon you have is of the CREEPY PHOTO RITUAL CHICKS. *cough*

But yeah, if want to come up on Monday, feel free -- like I said, if I get out early enough, I really will want to try to make it to work afterwards.

[starbuck09.livejournal.com]

Like this icon better? At least it's not creepy! Like I said, if you end up going into work, that'll just give me a head start on traffic. If you decide not to go into work, then we can relax a little before I hit the road :)

[deathpixie]

Your case itself shouldn't take long, but how long you're at court is dependent on a few things. Mostly the size of the docket, but also how complicated those cases are and how fast/slow your judge is. It's going to be a pain, but I would take the full day off. Hopefully you won't need it, but that way you won't be sitting there stressing about not being able to get back to work when your case is stood down yet again.

And talk to the Smitty. She will be lots of help, moreso than patronising lawyer guy.

[indiana-j.livejournal.com]

Ugh, that's what I was afraid of -- if the docket...thing was really full. I hope it's not because I'd like to see my office. XD (God, the guilt I feel about having to take off time to deal with this...)

I vote Smitty ahead of that guy any day.

[amythyst7.livejournal.com]

Any chance he was an orthodox Jew? If so, that would explain the no touchy...if not, that's ridiculous.

[indiana-j.livejournal.com]

No, in fact I think I counted at least 6 Jesus figures/paintings in his office. *pause* And it was a small office. o.o I felt like I was being waaaatched.