Family Court

I hate family court. It is not a pleasant place. It is nowhere near what you see on "Judging Amy."
The waiting room is the worse part of it. Once you make it through the security check point, which rivals the airport, you get to "sit in chairs" as I call it. They have all these plastic chairs in a little space and it is always full of people. Lawyers, case workers, law guardians, and the families. The awful part is you have to sit in close proximity, so you are there in the waiting room with the very people you are fighting in court.
The lawyers, most of whom only see their clients in the waiting room, have pre-trial meetings out in the open. Confidentiality? Forgetaboutit. You get to hear everything that is going on in each case. The lawyer representing Anna's bio father is what we call the "Loud Talker." Like a character out of Seinfeld, he looks like Eyeore. He never smiles, looks like doom and gloom, and talks really loud. I think he has a hearing problem and can't hear how loud he is. He usually has those pre-trial meetings in the waiting room and we hear everything that will be going on. At least we have prior knowledge of what he is going to present in court.
I hate that place. There are deadbeat dads there being dragged in. Disgruntled moms fighting for custody, foster cases where the neglectful parents are trying to get their kids back. Normally, I like to eveasdrop and people watch. It's just not fun at family court. Anyone thinking about divorce should hang out there for a day or two. It just might change your mind!!