Leave Your Emotions Outside the Court Building

How about a quick few paragraphs regarding common sense behavior after a court appearance? You didn’t ask, but I am going to blog on this nonetheless:

I was at Probate Court today, and had just finished a conservatorship hearing on a fairly long, and VERY contentious case.  Emotions were running slightly raw with some of the relatives, some who were on one side of the case, the others were at loggerheads with the first side.  Inside the courtroom, in front of the judge, everyone stayed on their best behavior, and all that was to be done at the end of the hearing was to (1) walk out of the courtroom, and (2) walk down two long hallways to the exit.  Sounds simple, right?

Not so! Walking out of the courtroom is relatively simple. The Judge and deputy are watching your every step. However, once the parties and counsel step into the hallway, things can fall apart, and quickly! I cannot tell you the amount of times I have seen the dramatic family members decide that immediately after stepping into the hallway, they can let loose their emotions, and their common sense, at the expense of an unfortunate other party, or worse yet, an innocent third party. They scream, point fingers, push at each other, and I have seen a haymaker thrown once in a blue moon between parties.

And guess what happens? The cameras catch everything, the parties are brought back into the courtroom, and the judge has liberal powers to sanction and punish anyone for their bad behavior. That judge will then meet with his fellow judges, and discuss the parties and the events, and I guarantee that your judge will NEVER forget your case. If you are the instigator of the bad behavior, you will have a presumption of being an obstructionist, an upstart, or in not-so-legal terms: “a jackass of the highest measure.” Not a moniker you want to keep for your probate case, no matter how strong of a position you hold in the court case.

What point am I making? If you are in the courtroom, and your case is finished for the day, walk purposefully towards your vehicle/transport and leave the court premises. Do not make a final comment in the hallway. Do not try to make amends in the hallway. Do not high-five your friends in front of the other side. Do not loudly argue your case. Again: walk purposefully towards your vehicle/transport, and leave the court premises. Head held high, whether you win or lose.

You retain a dignity and professionalism that the Court actually appreciates. You maintain (especially if you did not have a good day in Court) a sense of professionalism that may impress the other side to offer a negotiation or conference, especially if they see you can maintain a calm composure.

It is never difficult, especially for parties without counsel, not to let emotion take over during, or after a hearing. However, it is well worth the effort for your case to do so.

Do you have your own stories? Feel free to reply, and it is nice to be back to blogging after a (somewhat) short hiatus.