Hear, Hear!

A.O.H. writes a letter to the the editor of the New Straits Times on the current pressure from courts on litigation lawyers.

Read it here (NST Online link) and be enlightened on what we liti lawyers face daily.

The writer is not exaggerating. When I inquired about a change of date at the Court of Appeal, the officer in charge blithely said over the phone: 'Right now the Court of Appeal will only grant adjournment if there's death or near death. You or your family.'
'Death of near death?' I asked in a humoured voice, somewhat shocked and amused by the audacity of the statement.
'Yes, death of near death,' she replied (I could sense from a chuckle she too found it ridiculous but had to tow the line).

In another instance, my colleague called another Court; she had clashing hearing dates and needed to rearrange them. 'No, the court won't give you another date. You choose la which file is more important to you.'

There's a point where it's so ridiculous it's almost funny. Almost.

Thank you, Jason Lim, for the link.