May It Please the Court...Part II

Last weekend I went to the Superior Court of DC and today the DC Court of Appeals came to me- and the rest of my law school. I guess the court is doing this "outreach" program where they are holding actual trials at satellite courts. Today they held 3 cases in our law school's ceremonial courtroom.

A bunch of people from my class went to the first trial of the morning, an appeal case regarding disbarment. Now people may think that real court isn't as interesting as tv court, but this is why the lawyer got disbarred in Maryland and why they were debating if DC should also disbar her:

The lawyer was disbarred after she failed to diclose that she had failed to ensure that her clients case was properly filed before the statute of limitations. The lawyer later dismissed the action with prejudice without her client's knowledge or consent. It gets better! Then she paid her clients funds from her personal account and told her clients that the money was from a settlement. And the kicker. She created and presented false documents to her clients and third parties saying that they settled.

Lying to clients saying you settled when you didn't, and then paying money and forging documents. In the words of one of the judges, even a lawyer fresh out of law school knows that this is wrong. Apparently this wasn't her first ethical violation either; I really wish I knew what she did before.

I think the best part of watching the case was watching the judges fire questions. They're just so smart and look so noble up there with their robes. Even though I hate making decisions, I'm starting to think that it would be a really cool job. Perhaps it is my calling, how many kids dressed up as Sandra Day O'Connor in 3rd grade?