Arbitrations (Day 35)

(Crappy picture...sorry) This is where I was today. While the majority of the jobs I do are depositions, every so often I have to do arbitrations. Some arbitrations are good jobs. The labor and/or union arbs we do are pretty good jobs. They usually long, so lots of pages. And they're fairly interesting. Arbs done here aren't usually ordered, so we just get an appearance fee. And a lot of times there's a long wait for your particular case to be called. There's a large waiting room that's usually pretty crowded, and it has the most uncomfortable wooden chairs. I usually try to make sure I have something to proofread or a magazine or crossword puzzle book. I can't stand having nothing to do. I've even occasionally cleaned out my purse while waiting. I think the longest I've waited for an arb is 2 1/2 hours.

Today I was lucky. My case was the only one scheduled for 1:30, so we got called right away. This is what the hearing rooms look like. Three arbitrators hear the case. Nine times out of ten it's an accident case, which are almost never interesting. I didn't get the witness chair in this picture, so I drew it in. That's some darn fine drawing if you ask me! Anyway, the witness chair is opposite where I sit, along the wall. Why is it that witnesses in an arbitration rarely keep their voices up? It seems like they get in a courtroom like atmosphere and feel like they can't talk loudly on the stand.
Today one of the witnesses needed an interpreter, so it took extra long. But the interpreter was good, so it went smoothly.

Tonight Rachel had her first of four tumbling classes for this week. Next week she starts allstar cheerleading practice, twice a week, plus one tumbling class a week. I think she's getting closer to that back handspring!