Adjourned, eventually!

Ok, court was yesterday. It was alot more stressful than it should have been though.

I had a different solicitor to represent me in court (one of the disadvantages of Legal Aid!!). She asked the Court Mental Health Nurse to do an assessment for me to get a referral and hence an adjournemt for the psych report. The nurse told her that the Act she was quoting did not apply to Commonwealth cases. This meant, my psych defence was out and sentencing was going to happen then and there.

The issue started to arise when I explained that I had not been instructed to prepare any references yet as it was just going to be adjourned. At this point, full time incarceration was looking like the option the court would have taken.

So, for 2 hours I sat and waited for my name to be called, praying that something might happen to change the course that was looking like it was all going to follow. I contacted a few people to rally some support. Also, 2 friends came to court. The advantage of this was that if I did go in, which would have happened on the spot, I now had a way to let people know what had happened.

Anyway, the court broke for lunch. In this time, my solicitor had examined the Commonwealth Crimes Act and found the coinciding section for a psych defence. She said that the option of a psych defence 'might' get back in although, being a sentencing hearing, it could be too late - a little bit of good news and a little bit of bad news in the one sentence. It still may be dealt with on the spot. Back to prayer!

After lunch, we entered the court and I was first up. My solicitor submitted the relevant section for my defence and asked for adjournement. The judge glared and then dropped his head to the list of charges that had lead to the bond previously being issued. "Firearms, drugs, stolen goods..." he read. He paused. Then he looked at my pre-sentence report and an old reference from my pastor. More of a pause as he glared at me, considering his next move.

I was praying and actually felt the weight of his position. I mean, this man holds in his hands the power to at that point change a life - and he does it many times a day. It's quite a burden I would think.

So, after what seemed like forever, he granted the adjournment until 27 September 2007 for me to get my report done and references. God sure does go the long way around doing things sometimes. Though what I found was happening was, he was still making sure I was trusting him. One of my friends that was there during the lunch break said," We have some time, do you want to rush around and try one or two references? Surely we should try and do that!" I explained that I had fllowed the path that Gd had set out in front of me and done what was required of me that had lead to that point and so I felt this was God's will. I just had to keep trusting that his will would be done and, whatever that was, I had to obey it. Nothing like being tested I think!

Well, it wasn't all about my case yesterday. The court I attended in my city does not have a court chaplain. I asked when I got there! So, we need one I think. I noticed that so many people attend court on their own, it's a pretty bad time for people-whether they are criminals or victims. God's kingdom doesn't seem to have a presence there. I'm thinking about a ministry there.... I mean, why not??

So, we have a break until late September for the next court hearing. Until then, I'll post things about the Court Chaplain idea and stuff related to this part of my journey. Thank you all again for partnering with me in this, it really makes a difference.

You are all in my parayers.... God Bless.