Tales from the Courtroom: Taking One for the Team

I was looking back at my journal and read that it was six years ago today that I was thrown under the bus for a technical issue in a case I was working.  The issue had to do with electronic data our side had not turned over to the other party.  Without getting too deep into the technical stuff, when we process data, we will do something called deduplication which - in this case - we removed any EXACT duplicates from the data we had processed to turn over to the opposing party.  This process is supposed to aid lawyers in reviewing data, so they don't have to review anything that is an exact duplicate.  

Unfortunately, neither my attorneys or the opposing attorneys understood this, and it made it as if we hadn't turned over all of the data.  This misinformation caused the opposing party to request a continuance and six years ago today we had to appear in court to explain it; however, my attorneys threw me under the bus and laid the blame on their "IT person" for not turning over the data.  The judge scolded the lead attorney and me.

I still get mad about this all over again when I think about it.  Could I have handled it better and headed off this issue?  Yes.  I should have made a better effort in ensuring that my attorneys understand what deduplication meant.  They didn't and I took the hit for it.

So, as a result of this court incident, we turned over the EXACT copies of data they already had.  It was just yet another delay tactic by the opposing party and in the end, the defendant was still convicted. 

So, to make the issue clear: 

Deduplication in litigation refers to the process of identifying and removing duplicate documents during the legal discovery and review stages. This is crucial in both civil and criminal law to prevent wasted resources and conflicting outcomes. Legal systems must develop mechanisms to prevent the same issue from being litigated multiple times across different courts or jurisdictions.

In layman's terms, it means if you have exact copies of the same document.  Do you really want to review all the copies when you only need to review one?

Beware Of False Peace Agreements

If you are impressed by this week's peace agreements in the Middle East I have some news for you - it won't last.  

It is possible that this so-called peace agreement is just playing into the gameplan of Biblical end times prophecy.

A couple of verses that have caught my attention regarding this week's events:

1 Thessalonians 5:3

"While people are saying peace and safety destruction will come upon them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

This belief often ties into end-time prophecy, suggesting that a false or temporary peace agreement will be broken, leading to a period of judgment for those who do not believe in Christ.

Daniel 9:27

"He will confirm a covenant with many for one seven. In the middle of the seven he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

Bible prophecies regarding Middle East peace often focus on a seven-year covenant described in this passage, which some Bible scholars believe will be a temporary, false peace leading to conflict rather than a permanent peace.  Other prophecies refer to a future time when the Messiah will bring ultimate peace to the region.

So is this where we are right now?  How long will this peace last?  Will it lead us in the end times?

Most world leaders will accept a false peace treaty, described in which the activities of a false messiah will bring about. This false messiah will be so politically influential and powerful, so militarily strong that he will guarantee this peace agreement. Then, after a few years, he will break that treaty himself, and Israel’s temporarily peaceful neighbors will turn and make war against the Jewish people.

That's Just How They Are

Difficult people.

You've been around them, worked with them or probably even related to them.

They get a free pass for being snappy, grumpy or just mean.  You complain about them and you are told "that's just how they are."

Why do these people get a free pass?

Growing up I used to have issues with my dad and my mom would always say "well, son, that's just the way he is."

I never liked that excuse.  If someone is an ass then they need to be corrected but most of the time people don't because they "don't want to poke the bear".  (I don't like that term either)

So we just let the bear do what the bear wants to do.

The thing that always infuriates me is that if I have a bad day or a rare moment and act the wrong way I am the one called out about it.  I don't get that "well that's how he is" pass.   It is definitely a double-standard.

I can't tell you the many people I worked with that got a free pass because of their personality.  I would often work for one attorney who everyone avoided if possible because he was difficult to deal with yet when anyone would fuss about him the supervisor would say - "well, that's (attorney's name) and you know how he is." Then once I am difficult and I get reprimanded by my supervisor.  

One thing I have learned in my experience with these people is that it is a waste of time to try to win them over.  You can't force them to change.  They have been allowed to be their annoying personality for so long that it would take a Holy Ghost experience to change them.  The only way we can be around these people who get a free pass is just to be who we are.  Don't let their crappy personality poison ours.

No doubt we will always have difficult people to deal with.  We aren't perfect either and I really hope that I'm not that difficult person to someone else.  It would crush me to know that my actions are being excused away because that's how I am.