Technological Evolution.
Periodically life gives us the opportunity to view fragment of someone else's life. I recently overheard a phone conversation between lawyer and client that changed my perspective as to where technology is and where it is going.
Frequently inheriting cases after a messy, one-sided divorce, this law office specializes in defending battered women against husbands who control the wealth and power. The conversation, although one sided, was enlightening. To put it in context, the client had lost custody of her daughter, who now resides in another state. Her daughter, disliking her current living arrangements, ran away from home and showed up on the mothers' doorsteps. Unfortunately, this places the mother in violation of the court ordered custody. With the help of the father, the mother is now facing criminal charges. The lawyer needs to file the proper paper work to prevent the jail time the father is pursuing.
What follows is part of that conversation after the initial "hello" and confirmation regarding who is on the other side.
So, are you coming here or am I going there?
No, this has to be filed before 5:00 this afternoon.
No, it cannot wait until tomorrow, tomorrow morning they will be knocking on your door with an arrest warrant.
I understand but...
Yes, but...
You do realize the gravity of the situation?
They are coming to put you in jail tomorrow morning; we have to have this filed by this afternoon.
OK, you're starting to loose it, aren't you?
A few calming word brought the client back into focus and the conversation continued.
Yes, we can solve this, but you have to work with me.
Ok, you don't have any gas - and your credit card no longer works.
You are, what 2-2 1/2 hours from here. Listen, we do not have to file this here, we can file this at any county courthouse but we need to be in front of a judge by 4:30. I can meet you there.
You don't have any food? OK, I have a little here in the office; I'll bring it with me.
Do you have email? How about a printer? Good, I will send you the document, I need you to print it out, look over the changes we talked about, and if you approve we will file it.
I am sending it now - print it out, do not forget.
OK, I will be there in a couple of hours.
The lawyer made the appointment, met with a judge, and life went on. But that conversation, from my perspective, illustrated the evolution of something I anticipated occurring years from now. The client, with her life topsy-turvy, locked out of credit cards, virtually no money, having the inability to pay for gas or food, still retained access to the internet. It would be easy to be judgmental, after all food and transportation out weigh internet access - or does it? Food was provided, and transportation became secondary. In the long term, no internet access may provide a few extra dollars for gas and food, but in her case, having it provided the luxury of time; time to review and printout, ahead of time, the document that would prevent her from going to jail. It provided access to maps and the location and direction to the county courthouse in an unfamiliar city and state. At that point in time, internet access became more than a luxury, more than a necessity, it became a staple of life, and in her case, although arguable, more important that other staples. But most importantly, it gave her a sense of control over a small part of her world that someone else has been attempting to systematically destroy.
Frequently inheriting cases after a messy, one-sided divorce, this law office specializes in defending battered women against husbands who control the wealth and power. The conversation, although one sided, was enlightening. To put it in context, the client had lost custody of her daughter, who now resides in another state. Her daughter, disliking her current living arrangements, ran away from home and showed up on the mothers' doorsteps. Unfortunately, this places the mother in violation of the court ordered custody. With the help of the father, the mother is now facing criminal charges. The lawyer needs to file the proper paper work to prevent the jail time the father is pursuing.
What follows is part of that conversation after the initial "hello" and confirmation regarding who is on the other side.
So, are you coming here or am I going there?
No, this has to be filed before 5:00 this afternoon.
No, it cannot wait until tomorrow, tomorrow morning they will be knocking on your door with an arrest warrant.
I understand but...
Yes, but...
You do realize the gravity of the situation?
They are coming to put you in jail tomorrow morning; we have to have this filed by this afternoon.
OK, you're starting to loose it, aren't you?
A few calming word brought the client back into focus and the conversation continued.
Yes, we can solve this, but you have to work with me.
Ok, you don't have any gas - and your credit card no longer works.
You are, what 2-2 1/2 hours from here. Listen, we do not have to file this here, we can file this at any county courthouse but we need to be in front of a judge by 4:30. I can meet you there.
You don't have any food? OK, I have a little here in the office; I'll bring it with me.
Do you have email? How about a printer? Good, I will send you the document, I need you to print it out, look over the changes we talked about, and if you approve we will file it.
I am sending it now - print it out, do not forget.
OK, I will be there in a couple of hours.
The lawyer made the appointment, met with a judge, and life went on. But that conversation, from my perspective, illustrated the evolution of something I anticipated occurring years from now. The client, with her life topsy-turvy, locked out of credit cards, virtually no money, having the inability to pay for gas or food, still retained access to the internet. It would be easy to be judgmental, after all food and transportation out weigh internet access - or does it? Food was provided, and transportation became secondary. In the long term, no internet access may provide a few extra dollars for gas and food, but in her case, having it provided the luxury of time; time to review and printout, ahead of time, the document that would prevent her from going to jail. It provided access to maps and the location and direction to the county courthouse in an unfamiliar city and state. At that point in time, internet access became more than a luxury, more than a necessity, it became a staple of life, and in her case, although arguable, more important that other staples. But most importantly, it gave her a sense of control over a small part of her world that someone else has been attempting to systematically destroy.
posted by G. Steven Nolte at 10:04 PM
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