A Flyspeck Here, a Flyspeck Here, and Pretty Soon You’re Up to 12 Million Dollars.

Why we don’t practice civil law (Brian Tannebaum’s other blog, My Law License). At least the judge keeps a sense of humor about the relentless asshattery of lawyers attorneys who are a) fighting over money; and b) billing by the minute; and consequently c) make more money the more they “flyspeck” each other. The first paragraph of the order:

Pursuant to the modified scheduling order, the parties in this case had until June 25, 2003 to file summary judgment motions. Any electronic document may be e-filed until midnight on the due date. In a scandalous affront to this court’s deadlines, Microsoft did not file its summary judgment motion until 12:04:27 a.m. on June 26, 2003, with some supporting documents trickling in as late as 1:11:15 a.m. I don’t know this personally because I was home sleeping, but that’s what the court’s computer docketing program says, so I’ll accept it as true.

While the judge (Magistrate Judge Stephen L. Crocker of the Western District of Wisconsin) denied the plaintiff’s request that he strike Microsoft’s motion for summary judgment, the relief that he did grant is priceless.