33rd / 424th District Courts

The following case had about $3-4,000 in controversy when the following proceedings were had (names of the attorneys and parties have been masked to protect the guilty):

CaseView II Report of Marked Text File: XXXX.CV May 10, 2004
13:42

(3,2) *** let the record
(3,3) reflect it is 1:45 the jury has been seated. And the 13:45:32
(3,4) evidence has not yet begun. This is the only case 13:45:38
(3,5) remaining on the docket today. And I take it 13:45:42
(3,6) somebody has an nounment 13:45:44

(3,7) MR. ATTY1: Yes, Your Honor. We'll be happy to try
(3,8) your case but we have a settlement. We've reached an agreement
(3,9) that my client will take a take nothing judgment in exchange
(3,10) for an agreement on the part of Ms. DFT to not appeal the
(3,11) case. 13:46:14

(3,12) MR. ATTY2: And to dismiss all claims against 13:46:16
(3,13) plaintiff. 13:46:20

(3,14) THE COURT: Been on the bench seven years, four
(3,15) months and ten days, for seven years, three months and ten days
(3,16) of that in case your math is slow that's all but one month I
(3,17) have been threatening to burn somebody and put them to trial
(3,18) for a late settlement in a case where I was absolutely 13:46:48
(3,19) convinced that it should've been settled long ago if it was to
(3,20) be settled. We summoned 275 people, 87 of whom showed up. We
(3,21) kept most of those people here all morning. And all the way
(3,22) through voir dire and now you want to settle it. 13:47:12

(3,23) MR. ATTY2: Your Honor, the pressure of having 13:47:16
(3,24) facts -- this is my speculation but you think the pressure of
(4,1) having the facts aired in court is quite different from 13:47:24
(4,2) negotiations or even mediation it's when the parties see what's
(4,3) actually going to happen that that's what it takes sometimes
(4,4) and I believe that's what it took in this case. 13:47:36

(4,5) THE COURT: Had this case mediated or not. 13:47:42

(4,6) MR. ATTY1: Yes, sir heck heck yes, sir. Without
(4,7) disclosing anything that happened at mediation this is the same
(4,8) offer we made so we think that we have participated in good
(4,9) faith and for those who shall be burned it shouldn't be 13:47:56
(4,10) plaintiff's counsel.

and so on and yada yada blah blah woof. There were cases that would have liked to have been heard on this settng but that were set to later dates because this and others were on this docket. Everyone else settled last week or earlier.

77 jurors got $6, that's $462. 12 jurors got $10. That's another $120. Cost of sending 275 jury summons has to be at least $0.50 each for another $137.50 in doing that.

Total cost: $719.50 of public money so that they could settle a $4,000 suit for nothing! Zero judgment both sides!
Oh, to be fair, probably $250 was collected in court costs.

I offered to shoot the messenger but thought better of it.

Just try to settle earlier, ya'all hear?