We're working on our reply appeal brief, not on Sabbath of course, which will be here soon.
Perhaps this is the last item to do for the appeal before the appeals go to oral argument or are submitted to the court.
While I do not mean to in any way demean the work acheived here, I will point out that this is but an entry level education in preparation for the challenges just ahead...3ABN has been an excellent training ground for Bob and has been critical to rebuild skills I had long since allowed to rust.
The battles ahead will require brave hearts, nerves of steele, minds as sharp as razors and backbones built for a time such as has never been. I can safely say that BOB is ready for that challenge and I trust will answer as the Lord calls without regard to life or limb. The greatest test will ever be to walk into the line of fire and accept the challenge regardless of cost.
I recently had the opportunity to watch a Christian stand as true as the needle to the pole. We were successful in engineering a fatal foreclosure scenario for BofA that would have left the young SDA with no mortgage. BofA had offered a modification of the current mortgage balance to a level that was where it should have been when he took the Countrywide loan some years back (it had been grossly misrepresented as to the characteristics of the loan adjustments and he got caught in an updraft of payments that exceeded 50% of his income contrary to MGL 183) and was VOIDABLE and unenforcible.
The young SDA came in to meet with our team and when asked to sign the paperwork clearly fatal to the bank, he instead opted to simply take the modification as it should have been. He explained it was a principal of his Faith and he had prayed about it with his wife and felt impressed not take advantage of the fatal blow but rather to do the "Christian Thing". Three attorneys and four battle hardened staffers watched in amazement as he took his stand for the purest form of Christianity. It clearly left an impression!!!
I could not help but think of Bob and knew that the decision was the right decision.
Sadly, I must admit that I would readily and without remorse have struck the fatal blow and delight in it!!! In fact, celebrated!!! They call it "killer instinct" in american business circles and it is considered an essential ingredient for personal development and acheivement. It is likely an antithesis to character development for pure christianity, but difficult to discard once you have tasted the blood of victory.
There will be a need for more like Bob and I hope I have the chance to work with more of them and watch them grow and acheive a proficiency for pro se defense in preparation for the time of trouble just ahead.
Bob found a statistic that said more than 2/3 of appeals are pro se...while I knew the number was high I had never shared with him the reason: Most lawyers are fearful of retribution from the bench if they appeal lower court decisions...yes, people, wimps every one...but Bob has already tasted the "appeal affect" and simply not understood why...and is why you must eliminate the judge that is a problem!!! Now you are at the mercy of mere mortals to uphold the law and do the fair and honest findings even though faced by pro se defenders!!!
May the Lord continue to be with him as he strives for a fair decision.
Gailon Arthur Joy
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Topic: Working on reply appeal brief. (Read 8012 times)
