I found out only this morning that what should have been a simple unlawful detainer is turning into a jury trial. We’re set to go tomorrow. I spent all day trying to draft jury instructions and special verdict forms because nowhere are there reasonable jury instructions for unlawful detainers — and fewer still that apply to mobile home parks. So when that sort of thing happens, we have to make it up ourselves.
I’ve been working at full speed ever since getting back to court — and it seems like every attorney in the area wanted to talk to me about it. Strangely, it never occurred to many people that I needed to actually prepare for this trial if I’m not going to look like a complete ass tomorrow, and I wound up having to spend what felt like half my time on the phone and talking to people rather than assembling exhibits, drafting motions in limine, and my jury forms. Only after most of the staff left and we could put the phone on night ring could the partner and I actually dig in to the work a little bit.
I guess I was kind of a stress case today after court, but the thing of it is, a jury trial will do that to you. Between having no guidance, and no time, and lots of people interrupting me, and kind of a greater pressure than I’m quite used to, I’m reasonably sure I was kind of a prick today, which is not a good thing, but there’s nothing I can do about that now.
