COURT DATE

The day before court I had a phone call with my attorney to go over what it would be like to go to court.  She took me through the steps, where to meet, what time to be there, what to wear, and what to bring.  I was ready.

The night before court, I barely slept.  I kept going over the run in with Tracy.  How could she come at me like that?  How could she violate the restraining order that way?  What was she thinking?  I was so scared.  I was so traumatized.  I had to calm the dogs down, I had to calm me down.

The morning of court, I got up early and got ready.  I took the dogs for a long walk because I didn't know how long I would be away.  I took a cab down to the court house.  I got there SO early.  I ended up walking around the block for about 20 minutes.  Then I saw her.  Tracy was walking to the court house right toward me.  I began to get a panic attack.  I found a port-a-potty and ducked behind it.  I don't think she saw me since she walked right by.  I spent the next few minutes deep breathing and waiting for my attorney to come by.  After 15 minutes I decided to go into the court house and wait for my attorney there.  I went up to the 3rd floor and saw Tracy waiting outside the court room so I waited down the hall.  My attorney showed up 5 minutes later.  We sat and talked about what was going to happen and other things so I could calm down.

It was time to go in the court room.  We went in and Tracy was sitting on the wrong side so we sat on the other side.  She was sitting in the very back row and we had to sit in the front of our side.  I could see her staring at me the whole time.  Finally we got in front of the judge.  Tracy was not represented by an attorney. She did not go to the restraining order clinic the city provides.  She was very unprepared.  After a few statements by my attorney and a few questions of me, the judge turned to Tracy.  I had told my story of how Tracy confronted me the night before yelling at me and coming closer to me.  The judge asked Tracy if this was true.  She said yes.  The judge asked Tracy if she had read the Temporary Restraining Order papers.  Tracy said she had not.  The judge was quite upset by this and proceeded to read the papers to her word for word like a child.  She explained that Tracy could not come withing 100 yards of me or the house or the pets.  She can't yell at me or talk to me or contact me.  She can't follow me.  Tracy then tried to argue with the judge about certain points like having to go to work within 100 yards of my home and how I should have to walk another way if I see her.  The judge then told her that if Tracy saw me, she had to walk another direction.  I didn't have to walk another direction.

I was then asked how long I wanted the permanent restraining order, I said I wanted 2 years. I could have asked for more but I thought by 2 years she would have moved on.  The 2 year permanent restraining order was granted easily after Tracy's resistance to follow the rules.  The deputy came and whispered in my ear that I needed to go sit down and wait for the paperwork and a deputy would escort me and my attorney out of the building.  I didn't see him do that for any other person.

We went and sat down.  I was not able to see Tracy this time but my attorney was.  She told me that Tracy was glaring at me the whole time.  We received the signed papers from the judge and a deputy escorted us all the way out of the building.  They held Tracy until we were gone.  We quickly walked a few blocks.  We talked for a few minutes and I caught a cab home.  It was good it was over but it was quite stressful.  I have to carry the restraining order papers everywhere I go for two years.  Something tells me this process is not over.

more to come...