my contempt for the court
a cross-posting from myspace
So I just got back from my cotempt of court hearing...
Wait, back up.
I am in charge of my brother's inheritance. Have been since my mom died six years ago. Part of my duty (actually, my only duty aside from not spending it) is to file yearly accountings of where the money hasn't gone. Every year for the past six years I've been late with this filing. What can I say? I'm a procrastinator.
Every year when I don't file on time I get a notice in the mail that says "come to a hearing on this date or file before" and I generally file a day or two before the date, saving myself the trouble of sitting through a slew of hearings covering every sort of family issue you can imagine.
This year I missed the deadline and the hearing (I just plum forgot).
So anyway, three weeks ago I got a summons for a show cause hearing to make my argument to the judge for why I shouldn't be held in contempt. Nothing criminal, not really even civil...I didn't think I could get in any sort of trouble. But I didn't know for sure that I couldn't get in trouble either. Little ol' worry-wart me then runs through the possibilities of fines, admonishments, or the night in jail or some other ridiculous scenario.
Today I woke up, got dressed, walked to the courthouse to be there by my 9 o'clock hearing time and sat there. And sat there. Then sat there some more. There were people ahead of me wanting to change their kids' names because they didn't know who the father was at the time of birth, there was a custudial hearing for a little girl whose both parents were in jail/prison. It was a mess and I got to sit through it all...waiting for the trouble that haad been trumped up in my mind. I was getting nervous.
Finally it was my turn. I approached the bench only to have the magistrate tell me that I was there to get my wrist slapped. Yes, he said that. Then he corrected himself and told me he was supposed to knock me over the head with the probate two-by-four. Yes, he said that too. He then continued to scold me only to then send me downstairs to the clerk's desk (where I had already been to ask where the hearing was to be held), pay the $20 filing fee, and file my papers like I should have two months ago.
It was a hoot. But no jail time.
On the flip side of things, there was this kid, 12 years old, that was there to have his name changed to his mother's name. When the judge told him that it was okayed at that he had his new name, the kid pumped his arm and had the most excited look on his face. It was cute. Even in waiting for my 30 years to life prison sentencing (my paranoia was at that point by then...okay, maybe not) I couldn't help but smile. A happy kid can't help but make you smile.
So I just got back from my cotempt of court hearing...
Wait, back up.
I am in charge of my brother's inheritance. Have been since my mom died six years ago. Part of my duty (actually, my only duty aside from not spending it) is to file yearly accountings of where the money hasn't gone. Every year for the past six years I've been late with this filing. What can I say? I'm a procrastinator.
Every year when I don't file on time I get a notice in the mail that says "come to a hearing on this date or file before" and I generally file a day or two before the date, saving myself the trouble of sitting through a slew of hearings covering every sort of family issue you can imagine.
This year I missed the deadline and the hearing (I just plum forgot).
So anyway, three weeks ago I got a summons for a show cause hearing to make my argument to the judge for why I shouldn't be held in contempt. Nothing criminal, not really even civil...I didn't think I could get in any sort of trouble. But I didn't know for sure that I couldn't get in trouble either. Little ol' worry-wart me then runs through the possibilities of fines, admonishments, or the night in jail or some other ridiculous scenario.
Today I woke up, got dressed, walked to the courthouse to be there by my 9 o'clock hearing time and sat there. And sat there. Then sat there some more. There were people ahead of me wanting to change their kids' names because they didn't know who the father was at the time of birth, there was a custudial hearing for a little girl whose both parents were in jail/prison. It was a mess and I got to sit through it all...waiting for the trouble that haad been trumped up in my mind. I was getting nervous.
Finally it was my turn. I approached the bench only to have the magistrate tell me that I was there to get my wrist slapped. Yes, he said that. Then he corrected himself and told me he was supposed to knock me over the head with the probate two-by-four. Yes, he said that too. He then continued to scold me only to then send me downstairs to the clerk's desk (where I had already been to ask where the hearing was to be held), pay the $20 filing fee, and file my papers like I should have two months ago.
It was a hoot. But no jail time.
On the flip side of things, there was this kid, 12 years old, that was there to have his name changed to his mother's name. When the judge told him that it was okayed at that he had his new name, the kid pumped his arm and had the most excited look on his face. It was cute. Even in waiting for my 30 years to life prison sentencing (my paranoia was at that point by then...okay, maybe not) I couldn't help but smile. A happy kid can't help but make you smile.
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