Justice Prevails

I found out this morning that the case in which I testified a couple of weeks ago was decided entirely in favor of the defendants.

The case was brought by a neighbor against the contractor who built our shul as well as the company that did the demolition and excavation. (He had originally sued the shul itself but we were able to get the case dismissed as against us before trial.) I always thought his claims were ridiculous and I am gratified that a jury was able to see this clearly. I am also thankful that I had a role in undermining his case. (I had warned his lawyer that calling me to testify was a mistake; he just wouldn't listen).

What's even crazier is that the plaintiff's lawyer did not take the case on a contingency basis. The plaintiff spent $75,000 of his own money on legal and experts' fees.

Even better, the defendants apparently offered him $90,000 to settle during trial (I don't really understand why. I thought that after my testimony alone his case looked silly).

This case demonstrates a life's lesson. Never act on your emotions when it comes to business. The plaintiff took the building of the shul personally (understandable, up to a point) and was never prepared to deal with it in a businesslike way. Had he been more detached, a suitable arrangement could have been reached.