Year 2, week 33: ConflictOfInterest

Had a case in the Magistrates Court today. Strange one in that my client was the sister of one of the court staff. You’d have thought that was sufficient for the case to be transferred to another court on the basis that the Magistrates might be just an incy wincy bit biased in her favour. You’d have thought. But no. I declared the interest, such as it was and the answer came back that to transfer would be inconvenient and they were sure that it would have no effect. Fine by me and as you might have guessed, rather than being banged to rights on a case in which we simply didn’t have a realistic defence, she was actually found to be not guilty. Oh, and did I mention that she’s been having an affair with one of the Magistrates as well? No, and nor did she until after they’d let her off.

Oh.