Thanks for the Heads-Up!

Yesterday morning, I was supposed to have an MVD hearing. An issue came up with my client being able to attend, however, so I faxed in a motion to continue. I called the MVD and confirmed they received it. It was somewhat last minute, but they had plenty of time to make a decision.

Although they surely could have, the MVD didn’t bother calling me Wednesday to let me know what was going to happen with yesterday’s hearing. Instead, they left me a voice message at my office well before business hours yesterday morning in a voice mailbox for an extension that I’m not even sure how they reached. The message said the motion was denied and the hearing was going to proceed as scheduled.

I ended up making the hearing, as did my client, who had to scramble to appear telephonically. Things went as well as could be expected, but I was pretty impressed today when I received a written order dated yesterday in an envelope postmarked yesterday denying my motion. Worse yet, the order said there were “legally insufficient grounds” to continue the hearing because “[p]etitioner’s business or personal plans are good cause for delay of the hearing.” Leaving out the word “not” sure changes the meaning of a sentence.

It’s tough to say what’s most remarkable. The message that couldn’t be left at a less convenient time or a less convenient place? The order denying a motion to continue drafted and mailed the day of the morning hearing I’m hoping to continue? The fact they bothered with an order in the first place, considering that I would invariably receive it after it’s become moot? Or the glaring typo on the order that completely changes the meaning of a pretty important sentence?

Decisions, decisions…