Court Opinion

ID: 9448514
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 23:38:23.156834+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:27.844755
License: Public Domain

SCHNACKENBERG, Circuit Judge
(concurring).
For the reasons which I stated in Link v. Wabash R. R. Co., 7 Cir., 291 F.2d 542, 548, I concur in the foregoing opinion, because it would be unconscionable that plaintiff’s cause of action for serious personal injuries (for which a new suit would now be barred by the statute of limitátions) should be dismissed without her personal fault. However, I feel obliged to say a word on behalf of the district judge, who is one of those judges faced with a rising mountain of pending litigation, the disposition of much of which is delayed by such annoying situations as that involved in this case.
It is conceded that, on a regular trial call, the court announced that this case was held for trial. Every trial lawyer knows what that language means. He is alerted to be ready to proceed immediately when the case is called for trial. The suggestion that there is a “custom” which transfers to some vaguely designated court employees the responsibility of lawyers in such a case to be present when their case is actually called for trial, is an incredible shifting of responsibility which no responsible trial lawyer asks. *558If a lawyer, who is told by the court that his case is held for trial, is permitted to remain away from court until persons connected therewith notify him that his presence is required, an unwholesome system, involving favoritism and interfering with the proper discharge of their public duties by the employees involved, will be created. I see no reason why this court should require a trial judge to place his stamp of approval upon such an operation in his own courtroom.