Have Trouble Sleeping?

If there's one thing worse than root canal, it's writing an appellate court brief, especially if you're not used to it. Everything has to be done a certain way, and if it's not, they'll dismiss your case. DA John Morganelli has told me that federal courts have sent his briefs back to him simply because they wanted a different color backer. Chris Spadoni warns me that every section has to be on a new page or the appeal will be dismissed. I'm told that I have to cover the staples with black tape so the judicial fingers are not cut. If I don't do that, the appeal will be dismissed.

I've been spending all my spare time since last week working on a Gracedale brief. I spent the weekend working on that brief. I spent four hours yesterday and six hours today, working on that damn brief. It's nowhere near done, either.

Tonight, I decided to give it a quick read before heading off to Hanover Township for a Board of Supervisors' meeting. It put me to sleep faster than a Mickey. In fact, when I woke up and rushed off to the meeting, forty minutes later, I was too late. Township Manager Jay Finnegan locked me out of the building and laughed at me when I called him. I'm sure those little bastards were plotting an invasion of Bethlehem.

So maybe there is one thing worse than writing an appellate court brief.

Reading it.

But I have to tell you, I feel very refreshed.