Monday, June 04, 2018

In Re Marriage of Spector (Cal. Ct. App. - June 4, 2018)

It's only common sense that if a court makes a mathematical error in its order that it should be able to quickly and easily correct the mistake.  In this particular case, it's a spousal support order, one of the parties notices it and e-mails the judge (and opposing counsel) the next day, the judge says "Yeah, by bad, looks like my math is off," tells everyone she's thinking about correcting the thing, lets the parties submit short briefs if they feel like it, and then issues an order that corrects the mistake.

That's exactly the kind of speedy and accurate justice you'd think we'd prefer.

Yet it takes the Court of Appeal twenty-one pages to explain why that's entirely proper.  Because the party on the short end of the correction files an appeal and says you can't do that.  Which, of course, is what you'd fully expect 'em to do if the math error was in her favor.

Regardless, in the end, the Court of Appeal affirms, and (belatedly) publishes the opinion to boot.  Making my Monday slightly more pleasant.  'Cause that seems exactly the right result.

P.S. - You'd think the parties here might have bigger fish to fry than this.  The case involves the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Spector.  As in, Phil Spector and his ex-wife Rochelle.  The couple got married when Rochelle was 26, Phil was 67, and the latter was under indictment (and ultimately convicted) of killing Lana Clarkson.  Puts a strain on a marriage -- or any relationship -- for sure.  (Though there were apparently happier times.)