Name Calling

A few weeks ago one of my firm's Clients appeared in Court for a sentencing exercise. The Client was at the time in custody awaiting sentence and their prospects of receiving a custodial sentence were pretty good. One of my colleagues attended at Court and was fortunate enough to persuade the Court that the Client should not be sent to prison but should be made the subject of an onerous community penalty involving drug rehabilitation. When the District Judge passed sentence he decided to add to the Client's name by giving them the middle name of 'Last Chance'. This was not a particularly clever word play as the Client's last name rhymed with chance.

The news of this lenient and fortunate sentence got round my office and people were amused by the idea of the Client being given a moniker by the District Judge.

Unfortunately for the Client they were arrested some 36 hours after they had been released from Court for a new matter. I was given the task of dealing with the Client who faced overwhelming evidence on new charges. Around the office the Client's moniker was swiftly changed from 'Last Chance' to 'No Chance'. Despite my courageous efforts the Client was sent swiftly back to prison. Disappointingly the District Judge that sentenced the Client on the first occasion was not sitting for the second sentence hearing to change the name that he gave to the Client.