problems dealing with legal system

[Lemon Zing]

Erm...

I apparently have two court cases - on the same day...

Court 4 in Edinburgh, this Friday.

Court 2 in Glasgow, at the same time.

Is there anyone I can contact about this?

LOL.

That is bizarre.

 

[FayetheAspie]

That does sound like a dilemma.

 

[Aspychata]

You need to take your court notices to clerk office, or tell your attorney, they would need to change one hearing date.

 

[Lemon Zing]

I "want" it to be in Edinburgh anyway. I definitely cannot travel out to Glasgow.

Long story cut short. They took me there over a year ago. I was remanded for a week. Did a video link and was released on bail after 8 at night. It was dark. I had no jacket, because the police grabbed me off my bed in my flat at Easter. They had to exchange a bus ticket for a train fare, then left me to find the station in the rain. I felt degraded.

Went into the hospital and was driven there. I did not feel too anxious on the way home. There was nothing to really see outside. It was very dark. But there was at least 16 stops.

 

[Lemon Zing]

Basically, the prior lawyer I had was a dope. From making insensitive remarks to discarding important evidence, it was a disaster being represented by that guy for so many years. Also, barristers that you can obtain through legal aid (for free, with criminal charges) are usually just not that good. "You only get what you pay for" is certainly an accurate statement in this kind of predicament.

Anyway, I have court tomorrow in Glasgow, but I cannot travel because I know I have agoraphobia. The hurdle in this situation is that I know I essentially suffer from it, but because my GP doesn't have a proper diagnosis down on the logs and they're messing me around in terms of being referred to a specialist, they just typed out some shoddy 'support letter' to explain I get anxiety, but that they feel it may not prohibit me from being able to travel. So they've not said I cannot travel, which is what I needed them to specify on my behalf.

Now agoraphobia doesn't necessarily confine one to their home. This is more so what occurs with the most severe of cases, when a sufferer basically feels that they're trapped inside because their phobia is too great. So that is not what I have. Because I can go outside and walk to places I know, that are just nearby suburbs. But I don't hop on buses.

However, I have not been in Glasgow or even Livingston to do anything to anyone. It is just to do with me messaging them online. And I'm from Scotland, of course. The complainers reside in these areas. However, if I could get a case moved to Edinburgh, that would do me the world of good. I would have no issues getting to the court where I live for hearings. Plus, I found a form about this type of process.

As it is, things are difficult. Calling advocacy groups, law firms, doctors, the NHS and everyone else for assistance just results in a really frustrating ordeal each time. Even contacting MSPs is hard, as they are kept busy and so they may not be able to respond to your emails.

One of my sisters was supposed to print forms the other day, but her wireless printer seemed to be acting up. So I just had to hold off obtaining the documents.

Forcing someone to travel outwith their hometown when they simply cannot do so is just beyond stupid. I know lawyers maybe have to just go along with orders like anybody else, but at the end of the day, they're not the one with a crippling phobia and a ton of pointless obstacles holding them back from having a successful and happy life.

 

[TBRS1]

This sounds painfully difficult. I wish you well.

 

[Lemon Zing]

There is definitely a way to get a case transferred to another city. I saw a PDF on it the other day.

If my lawyer states otherwise, then I don't know. But I don't get why the form is available to complete then. It just seems really dumb if you aren't even from that city, town, or whatever, but you are forced to go there.

 

[Hypnalis]

There is definitely a way to get a case transferred to another city. I saw a PDF on it the other day.

If my lawyer states otherwise, then I don't know. But I don't get why the form is available to complete then. It just seems really dumb if you aren't even from that city, town, or whatever, but you are forced to go there.

You haven't said why you're in court, but there's a fair chance you're being called to the courts in the location where the offense/action was committed.

You've left it too late to use administrative processes to change the dates.

Probably the best course of action for you is to appear at the local court (be there on time), handle it, and deal with the second one either later today or as early next week as you can.

Inaction will cause you more trouble in the longer term than dealing with these issues directly. The legal system isn't likely to forget.

And while they're not all that likely to apply any penalty for your non-appearance, they weren't asking you to appear, they were telling you, and it will be possible for them to sanction you if you don't do as you're told.

BTW if you have a lawyer, you've clearly not been following their recommendations. Following the guidance bad legal specialist who understands the procedures (even if they're not at the top of their profession) is much better than ignoring the process.

 

[Judge]

An interesting quandary.

Is the onus on a defendant to clear up a fundamental mistake made by a legal bureaucracy ?

Seems preposterous, but then most of us at one time or another had to deal with a bureaucracy which unintentionally functioned along such lines.

Yet it's not rocket science to conclude that any defendant for any reason at all cannot be in two different places at the same time, let alone two different court hearings.

 

[Lemon Zing]

Any GP can easily refer a client to some specialty service. They're just being awkward on purpose, in my view.

When I do call up people, they do generally say that a GP has to put in a referral. It's just how it goes with the red tape involved with these practices, waiting times, and whatnot.

What's laughable though is getting a warrant held off, but the morons just deferred the case for a few mere weeks. Surely if you get a barrister to say you need to have time to book in these appointments and even get somebody to agree to take you on, then deferring a case for 2 months or so would be more ideal than just under, what? 2 weeks?

That is just dumb.

 

[Hypnalis]

What's laughable though is getting a warrant held off, but the morons just deferred the case for a few mere weeks. Surely if you get a barrister to say you need to have time to book in these appointments and even get somebody to agree to take you on, then deferring a case for 2 months or so would be more ideal than just under, what? 2 weeks?

They probably (and if so, reasonably) assumed you had prepared for the case by the scheduled date.

OFC I don't know what options you have available, nor what the court will do. The the general rule all over the world is that you can't choose to ignore the justice system, and there will be negative consequences if you do.

Your best bet almost certainly is to get some professional advice, and follow it.

 

[Lemon Zing]

To answer your previous post, I have never been in Livingston or Glasgow to commit any crimes against this ex support worker, or lady of the night. It just so happens if someone decides to complain about how you contacted them online, which breached an order previously granted in court, which HMA can provide an indictment for you, then you often have to go to the area they live in. But I don't know why that is.

So let's just say something occurred online, but the complainer is living in (for example), Aberdeen, they would probably send a letter saying they want you to attend the sheriff court in Aberdeen, as the victim or complainer happens to be a resident there, or a nearby place. So I assume, anyway.

The thing is, this woman had gone on a mental health forum I was posting on years ago, and she used an alias to say things to me in a PM. But unfortunately, the thread she replied in is not publicly viewable any more, and she probably requested for her account to be deleted. So I simply cannot provide any proof that she did that.

Although as you can imagine, many people online have successfully riled me up.

 

[Hypnalis]

if someone decides to complain about how you contacted them online, which breached an order previously granted in court, which HMA can provide an indictment for you, then you often have to go to the area they live in. But I don't know why that is.

This makes sense, particularly if the "events" occurred online. The Courts are probably local, and you're being called to deal with issues that "belonged" to the local district.

The thing is, this woman had gone on a mental health forum I was posting on years ago, and she used an alias to say things to me in a PM. But unfortunately, the thread she replied in is not publicly viewable any more, and she probably requested for her account to be deleted. So I simply cannot provide any proof that she did that.

I know a little about the UK and Scottish laws regarding what you can "say" online. Not in detail, but it's an exception example of a supposedly democratic country (the UK) with a history of freedom of speech throwing it away for terrible reasons.

The trouble is though, the courts are required to enforce the laws, even repugnant laws.

BTW: Online forums don't necessarily "forget" anything. Things are logged, backups are taken, etc, so the information you need may be available.
If you've been tricked into saying something that might be illegal, you should ask the site operator for help.
Even if they're not in the UK, they may have a policy of releasing that kind of information in cases like yours.

Although as you can imagine, many people online have successfully riled me up.

This may be possible, but FWIW you've been consistently polite to me.

There are a lot of strange things said online though, and no shortage of unreasonable and/or rude people who enjoy causing trouble. Sadly, lightly moderated, unmoderated, and/or biased forums attract members of the "Dark Triad" who enjoy chaos, and deliberately try to make people angry, and induce them to over-react.

FWIW, in the past I've participated in forums that run at a much higher temperature than this one. Thanks to mild "aspie-alexithymia" I don't get angry in the face of intemperate words online.
On the other hand I've often gained a significant tactical advantage over people who post when they're angry /lol.

The point of this: Don't post when you're angry. Especially in a state like the UK, where certain completely reasonable opinions are illegal, or can lead to your opinion being registered.

OFC that doesn't mean don't reply to people who are out of line or trying to trick you into a misstep.
Just wait until the adrenaline is out of your system, and craft a response that's effective and safe.

 

[Lemon Zing]

Unfortunately, barristers in Edinburgh are a sham. My sister faces a lot of similar problems. But her case is totally different, as it concerns her kids. So while it isn't as convoluted as my case is, it is pretty much just as unpleasant.

Nonetheless, the court just... ain't great.

I had the same guy for years as my lawyer. Like, it was for at least 9 or so years, starting from 2014, up until I dumped him. Since I get legal aid, well, legal aid lawyers can be a hit or a miss. But anybody on welfare just cannot afford the rates that civil lawyers go quoting for their services. And you need evidence, witnesses, and whatnot, or you have no real case to go on.

After my mother passed away in September of 2023, the lawyer I'm referring to had called me about going to Livingston. But when I said my mum had just succumbed to a terminal illness, he said I better not be lying, and he demanded that I provide a death certificate as proof of her passing. He said loads of other stuff in the past before that insult, which was admittedly rather insensitive as well, sure. But it was nowhere as offensive as that particular remark. And it was his tone that day, that was enough to make my decision to finish up with him easy.

Then I dismissed him. The thing is, I had all this hassle both before his dismissal and even long afterwards where I basically called a whole magnitude of other law firms local to me, and I just got a right dizzy spell each time I rang them up. They would pass me from pillar to post. Going on about this Law Society of Scotland website to find solicitors, and so on and so forth. It was a fruitless pursuit, to say the least. And people could hardly make out what I was saying on my phone, as the reception is really bad in my flat. So I have to stick it by a window.

But this also occurred with someone in Australia. Some idiot from these old video games forums began following me around years ago, doing things to make me feel creeped out. He just made all these accounts to repeatedly bother me on multiple forums, as well as uploading a series of strange videos on YouTube to mock me. But when I called the police in Perth to issue a report about being stalked, they made out that their scope of practice did not apply to international victims of cyber abuse. Even their online report form has no overseas option. Just has WA, NSW and all that as a choice, meaning you must be in Australia to report the abuse. So it's like I cannot do anything about him harassing me on the Internet.

But I really have to wonder if my human rights are being violated. I mean, if I feel adamant that I have this agoraphobia or some related condition, then they ought to allow me time to pursue a diagnosis by going through the proper channels, as it were. If such a thing is even possible to accomplish. You know?

 

[Hypnalis]

But I really have to wonder if my human rights are being violated. I mean, if I feel adamant that I have this agoraphobia or some related condition, then they ought to allow me time to pursue a diagnosis by going through the proper channels, as it were. If such a thing is even possible to accomplish. You know?

It's almost certainly time for you to stop looking for plausible excuses and just address your legal issue(s) directly.

 

[Lemon Zing]

Mate, I don't know what rubbish you're trying to imply. But I have not been in Glasgow. Never met this woman. Have no interest in knowing her either, after discovering she is another misandry promoting idiot.

Anyway, I can see that web forums are a lost cause for seeking out genuine advice.

 

[Judge]

Anyway, I can see that web forums are a lost cause for seeking out genuine advice.

Of course! Professional needs require professional assistance.

The kind that often comes with a price tag. And the most prudent professionals of all kinds may well be the last persons willing to give away free advice online with minimal details at the expense of their own professional liability exposure.

Not what people want to hear, but what they need to know. Particularly in the case of legal advice.

Collectively as a community we like to help fellow members, but our expertise goes only so far.

 

[Hypnalis]

Mate, I don't know what rubbish you're trying to imply. But I have not been in Glasgow. Never met this woman. Have no interest in knowing her either, after discovering she is another misandry promoting idiot.

Anyway, I can see that web forums are a lost cause for seeking out genuine advice.

There isn't enough information in your posts to figure out your problem for you with certainty.
But there's a medium-probably explanation that I already shared (arguably twice). You should read it again.

BTW I I could have given you more complete advice in my previous post, but I also paid attention to some of the human interactions you described. I found the one where your lawyer didn't believe your story without formal written evidence particularly interesting.

In terms of potentially useful advice: see my previous post.
OFC I am just a stranger on the internet. If you don't like the advice you're given, ignore it

 

[Lemon Zing]

OK. It concerns a sex worker. But I cannot say a great deal else about the situation, as this forum is a bit PG. Prior posts I submitted on here had gotten removed, you see.

I have never even met her. She just didn't want to meet me because I wasn't her sort. So she got a non harassment order, then bragged on X about it to other women. But I breached the order by trying to obtain answers.

It is really dumb and pointless, to be honest.

 

[Judge]

But I breached the order by trying to obtain answers.

It is really dumb and pointless, to be honest.

So is self-incrimination on a public website where search engine bots can harvest every one of your posts in unprotected sections of this website. Assuming anonymity comes with no guarantees.