Let's Make A Deal!

I didn't have many hearings today for the first day back, but the degree of difficulty made up for the lack of numbers. I poured over the file for nearly 2 hours as I read rules and commentary. I dreaded the amount of questions I would have to ask in order to pin down some solid facts. I never meet the opposing counsel, but she seemed born for battle based on the phone calls and emails I've hard with her.

I wandered into the courtroom and the judge was running late and stuck elsewhere. The attorney, the parties, and I discussed a few things and my opposition seemed open to working out some deal. I didn't like her numbers and she didn't like my numbers, but we whittled down some of the smaller issues and then split the difference on some numbers. Both parties simply didn't like each other and were obviously tired of dealing with each other. I used that to my advantage.

"You know if we just use some rough numbers and figure out a few things ahead of time that would relieve you two from having to do a monthly accounting. Just deal with these estimated costs for an annual basis and if something big happens that's when to the two of you have to do an accounting and sharing of costs."

It worked perfectly. They could live with rough approximations as long as they got out of each other's hair. The judge appeared and we told him we have a rough deal and just needed a few minutes to iron out the last details. For a second I thought it would blow up at the last second on this little nagging issue when a spouse pointed out: is it worth it to fight over that and give up everything else?

My thoughts exactly.

I helped work out a deal I thought was impossible. I deserved a Diet Coke after that one!