Motion to Scrap that whole "trial" brouhaha so we can watch some football

I'd have titled this post "Only in Alabama," but apparently something similar has happened in Louisiana a time or two as well. Lawyers in a case currently set to begin trial on January 4, 2010 in Jefferson County, Alabama have filed a Motion for Continuance, asking the Court to postpone the trial of the case until February or later so that they can attend the national championship game in Pasadena to cheer on their beloved Crimson Tide.

In addition to their own plans to attend the game, the movants cited as additional grounds that many of the witnesses will also be attending the game. They also argued that any Jefferson County jury pool is going to be too distracted with the impending national championship game to actually pay attention to trial anyhow, perhaps resulting in prejudice to the parties. (Hey, I didn't write these shitty arguments, I just paraphrased them for you.)

Apparently their opposing counsel are Auburn fans, however, so they refused to consent to a continuance. Luckily for the movants, the judge is also of the crimson persuasion and is almost certainly going to grant the request.

I have to say, even if Florida State had magically made it back to the national championship game this year, if I were set for trial on the Monday before the game I would never in my wildest dreams move for a continuance just so I could attend the game. And never in my wildest dreams would I expect a judge would actually grant this sort of thing. But maybe that's why I don't litigate in Jefferson County, Alabama...