TBO.com > News > Latest News Reports
- Moffitt Among Quarterfinalists For Lott Award
- Two Women Thrown From Boat When It Hits I-75 Bridge
- Judge Imposes Stay On Lethal Injections
- Poll: More Coastal Residents Would Not Evacuate For Hurricane
- Robbers In Ninja Garb Strike Hampton Inn
- Deputy Is Accused Of Domestic Battery
- 2 Men Burst Into Home, Steal More Than $7,000
- Temple Terrace Man Wounded In Shooting
- Polk Deputies Charge 17 Men After Weekend Cockfight
- Baby Dropped Off At Fire Station
- Jury Awards $21.1 Million In Wrongful Birth Case
- Deputies Investigate Bank Robbery
- Grandpa Robbed; Grandson Charged
- Composite Sketch Of Armed Carjacker Released
- Progress Village Homicide Victim ID’d
TAMPA - Paper covers rock and rock smashes scissors, but a simple agreement between lawyers can divert a judge’s order.
A federal judge on Monday agreed to drop his previous order that required attorneys to settle a seemingly insignificant dispute through a game of Rock, Paper and Scissors.
The judge ordered the game on June 6 when attorneys asked him to come up with locations where they would take witnesses’ sworn statements. The attorneys couldn’t manage to come up with locations on their own. The judge implied that he was tired of continuing bickering between both sides.
According to federal court documents, attorneys on both sides of the ongoing lawsuit met on June 7 and agreed to the locations.
At first, they expected to continue with the game, so as not to be in contempt of a judge’s order. Rather than on the courthouse steps, the lawyers decided to hold the game in a private office to avoid media attention, according to court documents.
On Friday, however, defense lawyers filed an official court motion asking the judge to call off the game. Plaintiffs, the motion said, were in agreement.
“With civility restored (at least for now), it is ordered that the motion is granted,†U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell wrote.
The lawsuit, filed by Avista Management, alleges that Wausau Underwriters Insurance Co. didn’t pay insurance claims on time.
In a letter filed with the court, Wausau lawyer Lee Craig asked Avista lawyer David Pettinato to agree with his motion requesting the judge to call off the game.
“There has been a lot of media coverage of these cases because the order was unusual therefore interesting,†Craig wrote. “I have not welcomed this attention. I do not think it shows the case, or the attorneys, in a good light.â€
Pettinato did not return a call Tuesday seeking comment.
Craig also did not return a call for comment and mentioned in his letter to Pettinato that he will decline all requests from media.
Contact Thomas W. Krause at (813)259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.
draw straws 
Rock, Paper, and Scissors? Sounds like things you’d want to throw at lawyers instead of play with lawyers…
Should anyone wonder why there so many lawyer jokes? 
Advertisement
Posted by Jeffrey J. McMullen, Tampa, fl on 06/27 at 08:17 PM
Seems the judge got his point through to these lawyers. They must have realized how childish the were acting by having to resort to a childs means to a solution.