How are you guys dealing with the insane sense of rage you feel when you see that a judge ruled against your client and you feel, in every ounce of you’re being, that this judge was wrong? Like yes we “can appeal” but like omg. It’s like justice is not a real thing.

likefunny
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I remind myself that I’m a paper-pushing transactional lawyer

likefunny

I’ve been there. Judges are people too. Sometimes they err.

If this is a legal mistake it can and may well be corrected on appeal.

If the judge misapprehended the record, it can and may well be corrected on a motion for reconsideration.

If the judge followed the law, which required an unjust outcome, that’s a different and difficult story. I clerked for a grizzled US District Judge. The last case I worked on for him was a last minute habeas petition in a capital case. We both found the death penalty repugnant. When we were discussing the order we were about to issue he said “sometimes you have to hold your nose and follow the law.” The petitioner was executed a few weeks after my term ended. He was guilty, there were flaws in the trial and initial appeal, and there was no legal basis to grant him relief. 36 years later I still remember how I felt taking the order to the clerk’s office for filing.

I’m sorry that you feel as you do. Our system gets it right the vast majority of the time. But someone always has to lose and it sometimes feels like the law requires an outcome that you deeply believe to be unjust.

likehelpfulsmart

It’s honestly not easy, especially when you believe that the case law is on your side but being misinterpreted or construed in a way that hurts your client. There are times when I feel like I have cuffs on my wrists and tape on my mouth!

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This is what appeals are for. No trial-level judge likes to be reversed on appeal. You might consider a motion for reconsideration and lay out the appellate precedent that shows this decision would likely be reversed.

Unfortunately, justice via litigation is a long process and it’s the final outcome that truly matters.

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There are plenty of examples of justice not being a real thing right now. * vaguely gestures at the state of the world * If THIS is what's causing you rage, it may be a sign you're far too invested in making client problems your own.

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You right

Care less. Just focus on doing the best job that you can, and then let it go and enjoy livimg your life.

likefunny

Paraphrasing something an equity partner told me when I was a first-year: Do everything in your power to optimize your briefs. After you submit the brief, it’s out of your hands. Judges are human beings, so they do dumb shit. Gotta let go of the things you can’t control. Just learn from it and roll with it.

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If I did my best work and whatever could be done within the bounds of the law, I moved on. Justice had little to do with it.

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Your* being

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