Song Challenge: Justice can be asleep

Subject: Song Chall: Justice can be asleep
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 01:30 AM

This just has to be good material for a song.

The NSW Court of Appeal decided in a 2-1 decision that the mere fact that a judge sleeps during a trial is not grounds for a mistrial. Under the Aussie Constitution he HAS to be PHYSICALLY present, but apparently he does not have to remain awake during a trial by jury...

I'm sure you can find out more about it on the net..

So now Justice can be asleep, as well as blind....

Subject: RE: Song Chall: Justice can be asleep
From: Flash Company
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 09:49 AM

When you're blinded with facts, and irrelevant acts,
Sitting on a hard bench in Australia,
If your head starts to ache and you can't stay awake,
You will not be looked on as a failure.
Though the defendant's mad and his defence is bad
And the speeches are making you slumber,
You can snore if you like, like an old motor-bike,
'Cos you're just there to make up the number.

And you dream you are crossing the outback and tossing,
Between the two humps of a camel,
And the case is too dull, and your stomach too full
To be bothered to try and untrammel,
Then you wake with a start and you let a loud fart
And then with your gavel start banging,
Saying bother the case, I can't stand his face,
I think that it's time for the hanging!

And the Jury applaud, and the Press stand aghast,
But your ordeals o'er, you can go home at last,
For the trial has been long, ditto ditto my song
And thank goodness they're both of them over!

Brian Q (After W S Gilbert)

Subject: RE: Song Chall: Justice can be asleep
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 10:12 AM

Well, in the US, the Judge is only there for points of law in a jury trial. The JURY hands down the judgement.

Subject: RE: Song Chall: Justice can be asleep
From: harpmolly
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 12:08 PM

Brilliant, Brian! Just fabulous. :)

Subject: RE: Song Chall: Justice can be asleep
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 06:33 PM

That's the case in Australia, too, Sorcha.

Good effort FC, a good song doesn't need to worry about the facts!

The judge had been known for some years to behave in this way. Sometimes his snoring even was noticed. Appears that the defence totally stuffed it - hence the ruling.

1) The defense counseled the defendant to write a letter to the Judge, saying among other things that he had a fair trial.

2) The defense did not raise the point of the Judge snoring, hence it did not make it into the transcript, hence the ruling that it did cause any problems. I wouldn't want to be the lawyer doing this, I wold never make it to Judge status myself... If it's not in the transcript, it didn't happen...

The case may yet be appealed higher. The Judge retired soon after the case. Because he has now retired, under the Law, nothing really can be done - the disciplinary parts of the relevant Law about Judges' behaviour only applies to SITTING Judges...

Subject: RE: Song Chall: Justice can be asleep
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 06:49 PM

That should be "did NOT cause any problems (in Law)".

Subject: RE: Song Chall: Justice can be asleep
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 06:56 PM

Well, you had a good lunch, and the remnants you much
As you sit there in judicial glory,
But you'd better take care for it wouldn't be fair
If your snoring awakened the jury.
So you nod like a sage, but you feel in a cage
And you wish you had trained as a plumber
All attired like a judge, you are too tired to budge,
It is time for your post-prandial slumber.

Subject: RE: Song Challenge: Justice can be asleep
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 08:27 PM

How absolutely insane!

Well, da judge he sat
And da judge he snored,
Shall we judge da judge
On Snores or scores?

(gotta be some nice legal terms that fit in there)

Subject: RE: Song Challenge: Justice can be asleep
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 06:30 AM

I tell you now you cannot judge a Judge!
If he be sleeping on his bench,
Or lying in his own sweet stench,
Never in the case to budge,
You cannot judge a judge.

Subject: RE: Song Challenge: Justice can be asleep
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 09:24 AM

Good efforts.

Subject: RE: Song Challenge: Justice can be asleep
From: Flash Company
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 10:34 AM

Master McGrath, I like that, as a 'Nightmare Song' it needs to be several verses longer, but that was all I could think of at the time.
There is another one in 'Trial by Jury', I am a Judge (and a good judge too), but i am not sure of the original format, without which I cannot produce a parody.
If anyone else wants to have a go........

FC

Subject: RE: Song Challenge: Justice can be asleep
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 04:01 PM

"When I, Good Friends, Was Call'd to the Bar " With a karaoke midi file! All together now - here come the chorus...