What is the most important thing to take to a Court Hearing?

1. A Witness
2. An Attorney
3. A Court Reporter
4. Breath Mints

Even if your attorney states, "It is just a simple hearing, it will probably last just ten minutes, we do not need a Court Reporter." Ignore him and request a Court Reporter be present. You will be surprised at the small details that are often overlooked in a Court proceeding.

At the hearing called to open my mother’s sealed Court documents and have the reading of the Will, I requested a Court Reporter be present.

My brother Doug and I arrived at the Clearwater, Florida Courthouse about the same time about forty five minutes before the scheduled hearing. There are about five buildings at the Courthouse complex, and it took us awhile to locate the correct building and the Judges’ chambers. We were asked to wait in the witness room adjoining the hearing room. There were about 12 to 15 chairs in the room, and another gentleman was sitting on one side of the room. Doug and I sat on the opposite side of the room and engaged in a conversation, mainly about our children and what activities they were involved in.

Russell entered the doorway and stopped immediately. He backed out of the room. Russell had the look of a man who mistakenly entered the ladies restroom and hoped to make an exit before being noticed. He was noticed.

About ten minutes later we were called to the Judge’s chambers. As we walked from one room to another we could see Russell was positioned at the far end of a long corridor. He was like the executioner who does not want to see the condemned before the hanging.

Entering the Judges’ chambers there was the usual exchange of pleasantries between the parties, and then it was down to business. I did not expect any surprises, as Russell had already informed me during our meeting at Shoney’s we would all be fucked and he was going to get it all.

The Judge had a stack of files in front of him, about two feet high. He took one off after another, looked at the title and set it aside. On the bottom of the stack was a large manila envelope, sealed and about three inches thick. He broke the seal, took out all the documents from the envelope and placed them in front of him.

One by one, he identified each document, paused and looked at all of us to see if there was any reaction or a question. None was spoken.

"We have a John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance policy stating that the insured being Amelia Buchan." The policy was turned faced down in front of the Judge.

"Another John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance policy, Number 328xxxx, the insured Amelia Buchan." Policy was turned over in front of the Judge.

"And a Met Life Policy, 22428xxx, stating the insured as Amelia Buchan." The policy was turned over in front of the Judge. Nothing was said by anybody in the room as these policies were identified and turned over on the stack of documents in front of the Judge.

After identifying all the documents in the sealed envelope and after the reading of the Will, the Judge asked if there were any other matters that needed to be discussed. The response was No.

The Judge asked, What do you want to do with the insurance policies?"

Russell’s attorney, Peter Graham answered, "Nothing, they do not amount to that much."

The Judge replied, "Well, they are old, there could be accumulated interest."

Mr. Graham replied, "We can check that later."

The hearing adjoined soon after that exchange.

We all got to witness the amazing physic powers of both Russell and his attorney. They both knew the value of my mother’s insurance policies and possibly the beneficiaries without asking a question or examine them. These policies had been under Court seal since 1992.

Of course, the evening Russell and I met at Shoney’s, Russell told me mother’s Will was in the Court file, and he had alerted Linda Allen, Carol Cube’s attorney. He requested Mrs. Allen make arrangements to have it removed from the Court file. From that conversation, it appears that Russell had already reviewed the documents in the sealed file.

I know he did because Russell instituted a back up plan in the event mother’s Will was missing from the sealed Court file after her death.

We will review Russell’s back up plan in a future chronicle.