This is one of the most amusing court documents I’ve seen in a while.

A few weeks ago in Jefferson County, Alabama, the Defense attorneys for Energen Corp. requested a continuance from the Court in order to reschedule their trial date which had been calendared several months ago for January 4, 2010.

Why the sudden urgent need to change the trial date?

According to his official Motion to the Court, Defense Attorney Jon Terry noted the following circumstances:

1. One of the great college football teams in this State (The University of Alabama) has reached the National Championship Game; the last time such achievement occurred was 17 years ago.

2. Most of the attorneys representing all of the Defendants have tickets and reservations to be in Pasadena, California on January 6, 2010 – and the travel dates would conflict with the current trial schedule.

3. Many of the witnesses who would be testifying at trial also have tickets to attend the game in California.

4. Members of the jury would likely be distracted due to the game, and could be prejudiced by the distraction “caused by such a major event of such significant importance to so many people in this State.”

So was the Motion to Continue granted? You bet it was.

I wonder if the same result would happen in the German courts if Germany makes it to the finals of the World Cup?

(Case No. 68-CV-2005-000927.00 in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, AL – titled: Mary Traywick, as Executor vs. Energen Corporation Et. Al.)