As she sat at her desk in Newark, New Jersey, a few days before Saint Patrick’s Day, she learned that the trial they were about to start had been adjourned indefinitely due to the current health crisis. Her first reaction was disappointment. So much time and energy had gone into the preparation for this civil trial, and both parties were ready for their day in court. Witnesses had been subpoenaed, numerous experts were gearing up for trial, final travel arrangements were being made, and they were preparing to address the various motions that had been fully briefed by both sides. The next month or so was spoken for and everyone involved was ready to go.
However, after a few minutes of letting it all soak in, her thoughts turned to the reality and gravity of the circumstances. People all over New Jersey, and elsewhere, awaiting their “day in court” would simply have to wait. In the context of civil litigation, delays are often inevitable, and most attorneys have come to expect them—but, in other types of matters where individual liberties are at stake or safety is at issue, delays can result in life-altering consequences.
