A Case of Precedence

Guest Blog Filed by: tIoGT Department of Administrative Law, Judge Warren Morris P.J.Ch.

Despite the best intentions of our founding fathers, today’s legal system is as much open to the interpretation of the individual as it is bound to the procedures and precedence that governs it. Given this interpretation is perhaps one of the most powerful forces shaping society today, people in my position have a sacred responsibility to not only uphold the letter of law, but also ensure that a degree of fairness is preserved in each and every verdict we bring down. Not always an easy business. Especially for cases without any due precedence such as one I recently oversaw involving a brawl between two families that broke out at a wedding and reception held at a local golf club.



As tradition dictates, everybody at the reception was blind drunk and before long the two opposing families where punching the living daylights out of each other. The entire reception venue was completely destroyed and eventually the police were called in to break up the fighting.



The next day both families appeared before me in court, where many continued fighting. Eventually I managed to restore order, banging down my gavel, shouting "Silence in court!"



Once the courtroom had fallen silent the best man stood up saying, "Your Honor, I was the best man at the wedding and I think I should explain what happened."

Desperate to control the situation, I invited the best man to take the stand.  He began his explanation by telling the court that it is traditional in both families for the best man to have the first dance with the bride.



He then continued, “After I had finished the first dance, the music continued, so I continued dancing for the second song, but again the music kept going and I found myself dancing to the third song. All of a sudden the groom leapt over the table, ran towards us and gave the bride a massive kick right between her legs."

Naturally I was shocked, and instantly responded, "You are joking! That must have hurt!" "Hurt?," said the Best Man. "Yes, he broke two of my fingers!"