Took a client to court today....

[Donnie]

Scheduled for 2pm.  The docket was backed up like a bitch. Had to wait 2 hours and still not even close to my case. I went to the judge's secretary's office and as luck would have it, she knew one of my brothers real well. She went to school with him... Apparently one who, for once, managed to stay in her good graces. (my brothers were ornery bastids, not me of course) Anyway she snagged the judge during a recess and he asked me if the debtor had showed and I said not in a long time... he laughed and said today?  He went out in the hall and called him to come forward. I knew the ass hole wouldn't show. He swore me in and asked me what was the total owed and for what. I provided him all documents. He then proceeded to tell me that since he was a former military man (I have no clue how he knew) I would have to go to the Department of Defense website and confirm his inactive status before he could attach the judgement. WTF?   Anyway, more time lost on a dead beat.

[beanie357]

Rare we go to court anymore. Too much time on management. We used to group them, send an office manager, but results became not worth the effort.

[whitewater]

just crazy dude.

[Frog]

He then proceeded to tell me that since he was a former military man (I have no clue how he knew) I would have to go to the Department of Defense website and confirm his inactive status before he could attach the judgement. WTF?   Anyway, more time lost on a dead beat.

Wow, sounds like dealing with a military member could be hazardous to our bottom line. I guess that you'd have to collect through a court martial if he were active.
Maybe, along with the driver's licence with the check, you need to see discharge papers. 

[aauusa]

Wow, sounds like dealing with a military member could be hazardous to our bottom line. I guess that you'd have to collect through a court martial if he were active.
Maybe, along with the driver's licence with the check, you need to see discharge papers. 
[/quote]

The reason they want to make sure they are inactive is that there are special laws for the military for debt collection,  they may be deployed and not available.  if he is active then it is easy to collect as it will effect his job.

[Donnie]

Wow, sounds like dealing with a military member could be hazardous to our bottom line. I guess that you'd have to collect through a court martial if he were active.
Maybe, along with the driver's licence with the check, you need to see discharge papers. 

The reason they want to make sure they are inactive is that there are special laws for the military for debt collection,  they may be deployed and not available.  if he is active then it is easy to collect as it will effect his job.
[/quote]

The judge told me that some people were filing claims on service members over seas on active duty and they may not get the proper notifications required by law. So, now I have to prove that he is inactive.  I know for a fact that he has been inactive for at least 5 years.  I used to biz with he and his Dad. They paid on time. They had a falling out, apparently according to rumors he ran up quite a debt on his Dad's dime. Now he is on his own. I did not know that when I did the job for him... Now I've heard he owes everybody...