Order in the Court

I was in court recently trying to save a client from himself. The opposing counsel had made a fatal error in the agreement and I had told my client that if he paid his rent timely, I could get the case dismissed a year later. Now it was a year later, and he had not kept to the agreement, weakening but not destroying his case. However, I needed to make my argument in front of the judge.

Now some people may feel that courtrooms are serious places where justice gets done with all appropriate gravitas and decorum. And they might be right in most cases. However, in landlord tenant court, as many litigants are not represented by counsel, it is usually looser, and in some cases, downright homey. Especially when you take into account that some tenants are in court so often, they obviously treat the court a second home.

However, on this day, that feeling of comfort was taken to a new level that even I thought I would never experience.

We were all sitting quietly, after being admonished repeatedly by the Court officer to stop talking, when suddenly she stated"

"Whoever is clipping their nails needs to stop."

Incredulously, I asked her if she really just said what I thought she sad. She replied " I did."

Amazing what people will do. She should have added

This is Housing Court, not your house.

I did.