character witness
 

A couple of years ago at the end of a rec league game, I had a dad come out on the court and tell me, among other things, that I was a no good son of a b*tch. I was unimpressed. I told him he was not qualified to criticize me and dismissed him with a wave of the hand.

Tonight I got a call from the guy's wife. It seems that they are in the midst of divorce proceedings and have accusations against each other about less than perfect behavior. She wanted to know if I would mind testifying about the above incident as an example of her husband's true character, more or less.

Anybody ever seen anything like this, and what would you have told her?

Oh, That's Just Crazy!
 

JAR - Bizarre. Is there anything more to the story than that? I mean, do you even know these people? Family friends? If not, it seems silly to get involved based on this!

I mean - "Yes your honor, these people have been married x years and I don't know them at all really, but one time, for about 5 seconds in the heat of an athletic competition we had a disagreement and he was an a$$."

Judge - "Ok good, based on that testimony it cinches the case, she gets the house, car, boat, custody and 1/2 the money!" :rolleyes:

I'd stay out of it unless your really acquaintances and want to take sides. JMO

"I'll have to consult my attorney."

How does someone get the name of an official from a rec league game that happened a couple of years ago?

How does the official remember the (seemingly minor) incident with enough clarity to testify about it?

Maybe both the wife & the official keep journals?:rolleyes:

Things on my not to do list:

1. Go swimming in a piranha tank.
2. Scale the fence at Gator Land.
3. Lay down on a railroad track.
4. Pee on the third rail.
5. Get in the middle of a divorce proceeding.

The Real Mythbusters ...
 

From the first (2003) season of "Mythbusters": Although it is possible to electrocute yourself by urinating on a third rail, you would have to stand unrealistically close to the rail to do it. In most instances, a urine stream would break into droplets before making contact with the rail.

A friend of mine received a jolt when he acted on a dare to pee on an electric fence. I'm not removing that from my list.

Good Advice ...
 

From second season (2004) of "Mythbusters" Episode 14, "Myths Revisited":

Urinating on an electric fence can cause electrocution. Upon retesting the myth on an electric fence it was found to be plausible, but the rail was still busted. Distance was the factor, as the urine stream breaks up less at the close range needed for urinating on the fence than urinating on the third rail, thus ensuring a direct line of current between one's body and the electrical source.

They have electric fences in court? That settles it. I ain't going.

Billy Mac, I guess you could try it and let us know how it worked out.:p

1) Years ago, after a summer league game, a father came up to me and call me an a$$hole. I corrected him, by telling him that I was the SOB of the officiating crew and then pointed to my my partner and told the father that he was the a$$hole. :D

2) Regarding the jerk's soon to be ex-wife. Do nothing until you are officially contacted by her lawyer. If she contacts you again politely tell her that you will only entertain official contact from her lawyer. If her lawyer does contact you, you might want to contact a lawyer yourself because of the content of your possible testimony.

MTD, Sr.

Billy:

I remember that episode.

MTD, Sr.

Here Come The Judge ...
 

Having been through a divorce, I have a pretty good idea what she was asking. She may not have been directly asking if you were willing to testify, but were willing to be listed as a possible witness. It's up to the attorney whether he/she subpoenas you actually appear in court. In any case, I would have said I would rather your attorney contact me and discuss it. She was probably trying to save herself a couple hundred bucks by making the contact directly, because the attorney will bill her for contacting you. (Trust me, they bill for every little piece of scratch paper they use to take notes on!)

Someone Has To Pay Off Those Law School Loans ...
 

Amen brother. Like $50.00 to read, and answer, a simple email.

I had a parent come out of the stands once after a youth league game and tell me I was mean to his son (because I gave him a technical for swearing at me, he was 11). He wouldn't let up, even during the next game. I get home and the assignor has already left a message on my voicemail asking what happened. The father went to the police saying I touched his kid. Now, I was in a pretty bad mood that day but I would never touch a player on the court. The police, the league, the board, everyone got involved. He eventually retracted his statement when every other parent present in the gym that day was questioned and not a one had a story to even closely back his up.

I told the story at work (I am a teacher in the same town), and not knowing who the guy is, several of my co-workers who have children said they knew him from little league. Parents begged their kids off of his team. He was only given a team because he owns a successful business in town and was able to fund the field upkeep and uniforms for all teams. He apparently has since been barred from coaching and/or attending any sporting event in town due to his antics over time.

The moral of the story is, "sometimes you just meet an a**hole".

Oh, h*ll no!
 

First, how in the world did this dink get your phone number a year after this "incident"?

Second, has any other official been contacted by this nut job? If so, don't pass go, go directly to your assignor/chapter president with this garbage and get as far away as possible.

Don't call her, don't respond, don't do anything. If you get a subpoena (not a letter- ignore letters) to testify at this sure to be disaster of a divorce trial, contact an attorney and ask how to politely decline to testify. This will probably be a small piece of this dinks' master plan, and if her attorney actually wants to call your testimony, he or she is an idiot as well. Being put on a witness list is one thing, ignoring a subpoena is another.

If, for some reason, you actually get into the witness stand, say "no" when asked if you know the dad (because you don't). Let the clown attorney trot out the oh-so-relevant rec league hoops incident. Say "yes" when asked if you remember that, because you do. Tell mouthpiece what happened and call it a day, because that's all you can possibly say.

Unless, of course, you happen to be the "other man" - then there are a few more questions the now brilliant attorney can ask you...

God, I love being a lawyer.... this stuff is great.

Z

If it had been me or a client, I'd (or my client would) tell her that I (he) don't (didn't) recall it and do not notice me (him) for a deposition or testimony.

While there's probably some legal protection for a witness (depending on your state law), this isn't an issue that calls out for something like what happened to be brought out in the open in a divorce case. If you witnessed him harming his child and children are at the heart of the matter, then maybe you do it then. Anyway, most people would blow off any non-physical harassment of an official. Your testimony would mean absolutely nothing.

Don't be so sure. Sometimes character witnesses carry quite a bit of weight in deciding who gets the kids and how much the nice judge decides to award the "winning" spouse attorney fees because the judge like their case better. Trust me...my character witnesses made me look too good and I had to pay the equivalent of about 25 game fees in my ex's attorney fees. :mad:

Is that all??? Mine charged me $75 once, and only because he felt a simple one-line emailed question needed a two-page dictated letter. :mad:

She's obviously into you.

Depends, is she hot?;)

You decide.

http://forums.biorust.com/attachment...fire_woman.jpg

One vote yes! ;)

character witness
 

A few years back, we had a college coach get fired. Out of the blue I get a call from the coach asking for a reference so that he could get some HS gig.

After some internal debate, I decided to write one for them. I kept it to the facts that I was aware of, stuff like how I was treated and some exchanges that we had.

About a year later, I get a call from this attorney, asking me a few questions and if I would be willing to be a character witness for the coach's wrongful termination suit. Turns out, my letter was to be used as part of the coach's attempt to beef up their character and fortify the wrongful termination suit.

I told the lawyer that if I was called to testify that I would be sure to let everyone know that I was lied to in regard to the purpose of obtaining a favorable letter. Not that I said anything in it, other than the coach was always professional with me, and that the players seemed to have been treated in a custom found in sports.

I had put my faith in the tenant that people are basically good. I was disappointed about being lied to, but the balance of life worked out and the lawsuit was dismissed.....for numerous reasons.

Shakespeare knew one of the attorney's ancestors I'd say.

Yeah? So? You ask a question and are depending on the answer as legal advice and you'd sue the attorney in a heartbeat because "he shoulda told me..."

Pay your lawyer. Even the shortest question may have enormous possibilities at law.