Most mornings before the courthouse opened, all the lawyers and judges could be found at the Silver Spoon Diner. Although they would soon be battling it out, there was a convivial atmosphere in the diner, among the clink of dishes and the babble of discourse.
Judge Cullen sat across the booth from attorney Clark. Clark took some papers out of his briefcase. “What would you do in this case?” Clark asked the judge. “I’ve got paystubs that say the husband pays $300 a month for health insurance and a year end statement that says he paid $5,000. Which one should I use for the child support guidelines? Should I just use the one most favorable to my client? Or prepare two guidelines and let the court decide?”
Judge Cullen blew on his coffee to cool it, then opined “Get the facts first.”
“What do you mean?” asked Clark, taking a bite out of his blueberry muffin.
“Does the husband have an attorney?” Judge Cullen inquired.
“Yes,” answered Clark.
“Then call the attorney and ask why there is a discrepancy in the health insurance premiums on the pay statements.”
Clark reached for his cell phone inside his suit jacket which was on a hook attached to the booth. He dialed the number and had a brief convesation over the din of the diner.
“Well?” said the judge.
“He says the husband took her off his health insurance after the first few months of the year so the premiums went down.”
“Mystery solved,” said the judge, handing the bill for his coffee to Clark.
