CHAPTER 27
Trey set our alarm for 6 a.m. so that we could get to the courthouse in plenty of time. I had finally nagged him into getting there early so that we could have seats in the courtroom as close to the judges' bench as possible.
He explained to me that during the wait most attorneys take care of other legal business through use of their Blackberry or laptop remotely; they do not enjoy the leisure of simply sitting in the courtroom to observe other case motions until their docket is called. This remote activity is done out in the corridor as the judges frown on the distraction from beeping phones or hushed conversations within the courtroom. He also explained that entering and exiting the courtroom repeatedly is frowned upon as well.
I told Trey that once he got me seated he was free to go out in the corridor until his docket was called. I wanted to watch the proceedings. This was something new for me. Aside from that I wanted to observe this Judge Tylar. I had pulled a picture up of him when I did an internet search of his name. There was no obvious resemblance to me but the picture didn't divulge a lot of detail. I guessed his age to be late forties; he seemed handsome enough I guessed for an older guy.
I had dressed conservatively in a black turtleneck sweater dress. I had pulled my hair back into a ponytail. As I finished getting ready in the bathroom I removed the two blue velvet boxes from my carry-on bag. I put the pearl drop earring in my ears, and fastened the single tear-drop pearl necklace around my neck.
Trey came into the bathroom asking me to tie his tie.
"What did you do all those years before I was in the picture?" I teased him.
"I had girlfriends," he replied snickering.
I smacked him playfully on the shoulder.
"There," I said, straightening his tie and smoothing it out.
"You look very handsome counselor. What judge could possibly refute your argument?"
He leaned down and kissed my lips several times. "What's with the earrings and necklace?" he murmured softly against my lips.
"Is it too much?" I inquired looking up at him.
"You're too much baby," he replied kissing me again.
"I know you think this whole thing with the names is weird and meaningless Trey; but at the very least we get to spend some quality time together and I am looking forward to seeing you in action."
"Baby you see me in action on an almost nightly basis."
"I meant in the court room counselor."
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Trey and I ate breakfast at the hotel. We decided to walk the few blocks from the hotel to the Russell B. Long Federal Building on Florida Street. It was a sunny and pleasant November day. I was excited about this excursion.
Once at the courthouse, Trey went to the clerk's office to sign in and confirm which court room was assigned for these oral arguments. Trey said it was on the third floor. We took the white ornate railed staircase instead of the elevator to the third floor. There were already plenty of attorneys milling around in the hallway their cell phones up to their ears. I was surprised by the number of female attorneys that were present. I guess I had still considered it to be a male-dominated profession but that trend seemed to be changing.
We found the double doors to the court room and went inside. There was still ample sitting room available. I told Trey I wanted to sit as close as possible to the bench.
The seating reminded me of church pews. We took a seat in the best available which was second row front.
I hadn't worn a coat because the weather was so pleasant. Trey took his suit jacket off and left it folded on the seat next to me.
"I'm going out in the hall with my laptop Tylar. I'll be back before court convenes," he whispered.
"Why are we whispering like we're in church?" I asked him.
"Courtroom protocol," was his response.
Trey returned about thirty minutes later and took his seat next to me. The courtroom had filled up significantly; I was glad that I had persuaded Trey to get here early. It appeared many of the attorneys did have the leisure time to observe other case proceedings. Perhaps it helped with their nerves. I couldn't imagine it was easy getting up and arguing something in front of a panel of judges. Trey had said there was a twenty minute limit and that equal portions of that time had to be divided up between all parties.
"Did you put your Blackberry on vibrate?" he whispered to me.
"Yes. Did you?"
He rolled his eyes at me smiling. He put his suit jacket back on right as the bailiff came out and told everyone to rise.
The seven federal judges garbed in their long, black robes filed out of a side door near the front and took their seats at the bench. Each judge had a nameplate in front of their seat. I quickly saw Judge Tylar. His seat was the third from the left. I nudged Trey and nodded toward Judge Tylar as he took his place by his chair. Once all of the judges were at their assigned seats the judge that was the chairman told everyone to be seated.
I saw the light that Trey had told me about. It was exactly like a traffic signal having a green, yellow and red light.
Trey had explained that when the yellow light illuminated it meant there was thirty seconds left on the clock and the attorney speaking needed to wrap it up.
We spent the next two and a half hours listening to various oral arguments on cases involving anti-trust issues, conspiracy to commit treason; there was one Title VII class action case that involved a third-party administrator over employee health insurance for several major U.S. companies whose plaintiffs spanned seventeen states.
Occasionally one or two of the judges on the panel would ask questions of the attorney presenting. So far Judge Tylar had remained quiet. He seemed bored with the whole thing. I supposed like anything else the excitement faded after awhile and one case morphed into the next. The oral argument taking place right now was some boring one about a monopoly involving aluminum recycling equipment.
Trey's docket number illuminated on the schedule board that was located on each wall of the courtroom. He would be next after this long-winded attorney speaking now was finished. I could tell this lawyer was going to ride out his full twenty minutes. He had yet to pause to take a breath. I watched as several minutes later the traffic light finally went to yellow.
Thank God! Only thirty seconds more of this wind-bag I thought to myself. The case totally sucked anyway. Opposing counsel on his case had waived appearance on oral argument; he or she probably figured they wouldn't have gotten a word in edgewise.
The light flashed to red and the attorney was still going strong. I looked over at Trey who was poised to rise from his seat as soon as the windbag had finished. He looked over at me shrugging his shoulders. Finally Judge Tylar used his gavel to rap on the bench. It did no good.
"Mr. Louderdick you have exceeded the maximum time allotted. This isn't a filibuster," Judge Tylar said firmly.
"If the court permits," Louderdick said unruffled, "There is much more to consider in my oral argument today then what time would allow your honor."
The judge was obviously not happy glaring at the attorney.
"I ask the court's indulgence in allowing me a bit more time to outline the particular complexities on this matter which very well might set legal precedent if remanded to the 9th District--"
"Bailiff," Judge Tylar called out, "Please remove Mr. Louderdick from this court room immediately."
(Oh my God! This was so cool.)
Mr. Louderdick was still not getting the message even when approached by the bailiff that he needed to shut the hell up.
"Your honor, all that I am asking ---"
I saw the disbelief on Judge Tylar's face as he bellowed out to Louderdick once again.
"One more word counselor and you will be found in contempt of this court!"
He slammed his gavel down and the courtroom was immediately hushed with total silence with the exception of the very loud, unfortunate giggle that escaped from me.
(Holy shit!)
Trey's head snapped around to look at me in shock and disbelief. I put my hand up to cover my mouth in embarrassment lowering my gaze from Trey.
I felt him leave our pew to approach the bench. I looked up and saw Judge Tylar studying me. I looked at him feeling my cheeks redden with the embarrassment. What if he instructed the bailiff to remove the 'giggling idiot' from the court room? He continued to stare at me but his stern expression had softened somewhat.
The bailiff read Trey's case number and the parties involved. It was noted that opposing counsel had waived appearance for oral argument but had filed papers stating their opposing position.
Trey was instructed that he could use the full twenty minutes for his argument if he chose.
"If it pleases the court, I won't take the full twenty minutes in light of the over-run on the last argument," Trey said to the panel.
Several of the judges smiled at him including Judge Tylar.
"The court appreciates your sensitivity Mr. Sinclair," Judge Tylar responded. "You may begin your argument now to the issue."
I listened intently as Trey argued the merits of his Motion to the panel in his smooth and silky voice. He briefly summarized the fine points covered in his Memorandum in support of his Motion to consolidate the case to the 11th District Court for the purposes of pre-trial management.
My eyes were glued on him as he spoke to the panel and made his argument interesting and factual citing a couple of case references. I continued to notice that Judge Tylar glanced at me several times throughout the ten minutes that Trey was on the floor. He wrapped it up and the next case was called to the floor.
He took his seat next to me and I didn't dare look at him acting as if I was totally enthralled with the next case up. I felt his hand on mine and looked over. He wasn't angry with me. I saw a hint of amusement in his eyes as he squeezed my hand in his.
At the conclusion of the last oral argument the bailiff announced that the panel would break for lunch and oral arguments would resume at 12:30 p.m. Everyone was instructed to rise as the seven judges filed out the side door.
"Let's go 'Chuckles," Trey said as he took my arm and guided me out into the aisle.
Once we got into the large hallway I turned to him.
"Trey I am so sorry," I said apologetically. "I don't know what got into me in there."
He continued to stare at me and I couldn't tell if he was angry with me or not.
"I think it was the way Judge Tylar was talking to that windbag attorney and his name being 'Louderdick' and all it just struck me funny all of a sudden and it was out before I realized - "
"Tylar hush," Trey said softly leaning down to give me a kiss.
"It's okay."
"So you're not mad at me?"
"No I am not mad at you. I found it kind of comical as well. I have to admit that it was a first for me."
"You mean an attorney being escorted out by the bailiff?"
"No - the first time that somebody laughed out loud in a hushed courtroom with seven federal judges in attendance."
I smiled back at him giving him a hug.
"So when will you find out how the panel rules on your case?"
"It usually takes about six or eight weeks for them to rule."
"What now?" I asked.
"Well how about you and I go and get some lunch and then head back to our hotel for a nice nap before we have to check out and get to the airport?"
"I like the way you think counselor," I answered him smiling.
"I need to use the restroom first though."
I found the ladies restroom in the courthouse and Trey said he was going to find the men's room and to meet him back near the staircase. The hallways in this old courthouse seemed to wind around like a maze.
After I had finished up in the restroom I headed back down the hallway; when I turned the corner to where the hallway opened up to the area outside the courtrooms on the third floor, I realized that it was not the same hallway as before. I had taken the wrong turn somewhere.
I turned around and headed back the other way. As I approached the corner of the hall where it turned to go back to where the restrooms were, I collided with a man coming around the corner from the opposite direction.
"I'm sorry," I said looking up at him.
He wasn't wearing his robes but I recognized Judge Tylar immediately.
"Are you alright?" he asked studying my face.
I nodded affirmatively. He had the same amber colored eyes that I did.
His eyes dropped to my earrings and then to my necklace.
"Marley?" he said, his gaze locking with mine.
"Pardon?" I asked.
"I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head.
"I thought for a moment you were someone that I had known a long time ago which is quite impossible. Please excuse me."
He walked past me down the long corridor his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.
Trey was waiting for me by the stairwell. He must have been worried because I saw a hint of relief on his face when he spotted me.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Trey," I said, "You aren't going to believe me but I know that in some way I am related to Judge Tylar."
After I verbalized what I had felt from the first time I had seen the man's name in print at the firm, to the collision that had just taken place in the hall, the tears rolled down my cheeks.