There was a time when most county courthouses had cafes. Grand Forks had one. Cass County might still have one, not sure. Mountrail County has potluck on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Thursday of every month. These are court dates, and Mountrail County State’ s Attorney Wade Enget organizes the menu. Defense attorneys are welcome. I try to arrive early before an afternoon hearing.
But the courthouse cafe, like so many amenities which have sustained and nurtured our traditions and relationships, have fallen by the wayside these past few years. It is a terrible loss. Email, texting, fax machines, and IVN, none of that technology works as well as meeting with your colleague over a cup of coffee, a bowl of soup, or a beer and talking to each other about your case, about their family, or about the weather. I recently saw an article that the people of Sardinia live longer than anyone else. They attribute their longevity to the fact that they actually talk to each other on a regular basis.
Last year, I was having lunch at a Bismarck cafe, when I walked by a table where a married couple( both lawyers) were having lunch together. Of course, they weren’ t talking to each other. They were on their cell phones texting, emailing, or shopping, who knows? I walked over, grabbed both phones and said,“ You can have them back when you leave. Until then talk to each other.” I gave the phones back before I left. They were still talking to each other.
There is something being lost in our profession. It is not the
overwork. We have always worked hard. It is not the expense of running a law office. It has always been expensive. It is that we no longer just sit down and talk to each other. It can be beneficial. It can be interesting. Hell, it can even be fun. It might even make us better lawyers.
And so, when I go to Williston on a criminal case, I call ahead to the Williams County State’ s Attorney’ s Office to book a lunch date with the State’ s Attorney. The Williams County State’ s Attorney is Marlyce Wilder. She is a tough adversary. She is a respected colleague. She is an honorable person. She is my friend.
I have had so many cases in Williams County and made this call so many times that the receptionist, Esmeralda, doesn’ t even ask what case I am calling about. She just confirms that Marlyce will meet me at the Courthouse Cafe. The last time, she also added,“ Tom, can you get here a little earlier today, Ginny made her donuts. Always a big crowd.”
Thomas A. Dickson has extensive experience in a variety of areas, including criminal defense, plaintiff’ s personal injury, and oil field personal injury. He has tried more than 100 cases to jury verdict in North Dakota courts over the past 30 years. Since 1992, Dickson has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America. He has also been listed in Super Lawyers. Dickson is a member or officer in many organizations and is also active in the community.
The patience, personality and persistence the process demands. The empathy litigants deserve. A uniquely qualified neutral.
WICK CORWIN
wick @ corwinmediation. com 701-541-0965 www. corwinmediation. com
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