Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 219 - 218: Civil Tort, Luo Xiaobu Loses the Case

Chapter 219: Chapter 218: Civil Tort, Luo Xiaobu Loses the Case

Court of the city, civil division.

"All rise, please welcome the honorable judge!"

As the court guard announced, the judge, clad in a black robe, entered the courtroom and made his way directly to the bench.

After taking his seat, he scanned the whole room.

On the jury bench, six jurors had already taken their places.

The plaintiff and defendant were also seated.

As for the public gallery, since it was a minor case, there weren’t many people present.

"Hmm, that person in the first row of the public gallery, why does he look somewhat familiar? It seems like I have seen him somewhere before. Is he sizing me up?"

The judge squinted his eyes and looked at a young man in the first row of the public gallery with a strange expression on his face.

This man’s aura seemed somewhat different from the few spectators there.

But the judge couldn’t quite put his finger on what exactly was different.

However, he had a feeling that this person had a fundamental difference from the others in the room, as if he wasn’t here to watch the spectacle but to review it, like a supervising leader.

Forget about him!

The judge shook his head, dismissing this impractical thought, and declared the start of the trial.

In fact, that person was Zhang Wei.

At this moment, he was sizing up the jurors and the judge, trying to figure out whose side these people were on.

"This judge looks like he’s new, a vulnerable judge, who may yield to dominant lawyers!"

Zhang Wei only took one glance and analyzed quite a lot.

The one on the bench, not favorable for Radish.

His opponent was Lawyer Tian from Yongjie Law Firm, a seasoned lawyer from the Top Ten Firms, who also had a certain reputation in the Dongfang Capital Lawyer Circle.

A judge with little experience and stature tends to be driven by such veteran lawyers in the courtroom.

And Luo Xiaobu? He’s from the notary office, not even a lawyer, really.

Although he had passed the bar exam and had court qualifications, he was only there to save on attorney fees.

With no experience in court, he would definitely be suppressed by Lawyer Tian later on.

Once Lawyer Tian began his attack, even the judge might be led by the nose; then, the situation could become...

"What about the jury bench?"

Zhang Wei’s gaze then swept toward the jury bench, only to find that all six jurors of this civil division were looking elsewhere, seemingly not caring at all about either side of the case.

"Right, it’s just a minor case, no surprise the jury doesn’t take it seriously!"

Zhang Wei understood that this was not some murder case, but a common civil dispute, a civil claim case.

For the jury, such a case was nothing more than going through the motions.

It was predictable that the jury appeared indifferent.

Later, once the trial began, whichever side could be louder and better instill their claims into the jury, that side’s advantage would become more evident.

Clearly, Luo Xiaobu must have fallen into Lawyer Tian’s trap even in the selection of the jury.

Calculated that way, all the advantages in this case belonged to the plaintiff’s side, leaving Luo Xiaobu, the defendant, at an overwhelming disadvantage.

"Ah, Radish, you’re going to need all the luck you can get!"

Zhang Wei was not the defense attorney; the only thing he could do was pray for Luo Xiaobu.

"Ahem... Since both the plaintiff and defendant are present, let’s begin the trial!"

"The process for this case will be a quick trial; both sides will skip the evidence presentation phase and may only call witnesses to speak. Once the statements from both the plaintiff and defendant conclude, the jury can deliberate and decide the verdict. Everyone clear on that?"

It was at this moment that the judge on the bench announced with a gavel.

For minor cases like this, a quick trial is the best outcome.

Both parties can save time, the court reduces some costs, and besides, the case was a minor one, not worth a big fuss.

A quick trial means a fast schedule, and with some luck, the verdict might be delivered on the same day as the hearing.

The judge announced and then looked towards the plaintiff’s side.

Lawyer Tian immediately understood and stood up to declare, "Your Honor, our client believes that the defendant, Luo Xiaobu, by defecating in public, has caused irreparable damage to Good Cleaning Company. Therefore, we are seeking compensation of 500,000 as damages for the loss of last weekend’s commercial activities."

"500,000, the court understands," said the judge.

The judge nodded and then turned to look at the defendant’s bench.

Luo Xiaobu was stunned for a moment but slowly stood up, his voice very low, "Your Honor, we maintain our innocence..."

The judge was taken aback, innocence is typically a term used in criminal court.

After thinking for a moment, the judge asked, "When you say you’re innocent, do you mean you didn’t defecate?"

"Ah, no, I mean I don’t think my actions require compensation to the plaintiff!"

"You don’t intend to compensate the plaintiff, I understand. Next time, please be clear!"

"Mmm-hmm, thank you, Your Honor; definitely next time, definitely next time!"

Luo Xiaobu quickly nodded, putting on an apologetic demeanor.

"Haha, what a noob!"

The judge muttered internally and once again confirmed with a gavel.

"Plaintiff’s side, you may begin."

Lawyer Tian shook his suit and immediately stood up to begin his statement:

"Ahem, thank you, Your Honor, and thank you to the jurors for being here to support. My name is Tian, from Yongjie Law Firm, and on behalf of Good Cleaning Sanitary Ware Company, I am suing the defendant, Luo Xiaobu..."

His statement was standard but he said everything that needed to be said and made his identity known to the jury.

Hearing that Lawyer Tian was from one of the Top Ten Firms, all six jurors looked at him, their eyes filled with both surprise and a hint of admiration.

"Using the reputation of the Top Ten Firms to draw the jurors’ attention and then presenting the plaintiff’s opening statement, instilling the plaintiff’s demands into the jury—although the methods are conventional, sometimes the most clichéd tactics are the most effective..."

Zhang Wei watched the scene, slowly analyzing.

Lawyer Tian did not employ any clever tricks, but even traditional tactics were more than sufficient against Luo Xiaobu.

Zhang Wei’s gaze returned to the courtroom.

At the defendant’s bench, Luo Xiaobu’s plump body seemed to be trembling constantly, anxiety filling his heart.

"Last-minute adjustments really can’t change anything, can they?"

Zhang Wei felt helpless seeing this.

If Luo Xiaobu had thought to come to him at the first sign of trouble, instead of being led by the nose by the opposition, this matter would have been manageable.

What a pity...

In the courtroom, the plaintiff’s statement continued.

"... Mr. Luo’s conduct has caused my client, Good Cleaning Sanitary Ware Company, immense losses in both their products and their public image. I believe the compensation of 500,000 is a very reasonable amount!"

Lawyer Tian went on at length to state his purpose.

He reiterated the claim for 500,000 in damages and the act of Luo Xiaobu defecating in public.

"Radish, object!"

Seeing Lawyer Tian emphasize his point, Zhang Wei quickly called out in a low voice to the defendant’s bench.

Hearing Zhang Wei’s voice, Luo Xiaobu immediately stood up: "Your Honor, the defense objects!"

"Object, on what grounds?" asked the judge.

"We believe that the claim for 500,000 is extortionate and, furthermore, the incident was an accident. We cannot accept the demands of the plaintiff," Luo Xiaobu recited, recalling the training he had received from Zhang Wei that morning and looking down at the notebook spread out in front of him.

Seeing Luo Xiaobu dare to object, Lawyer Tian immediately stood up with a sneer:

"Your Honor, the financial statement submitted by our side clearly indicates that the incident caused my client to lose an exhibition room, a set of ceramic sanitary wares, the employee wages for that day, the rental cost of the exhibition hall in the mall, the appearance fees of the guests, and so on," Lawyer Tian said, sighing. "Furthermore, with the continuing development of this matter on the internet, the public’s opinion of my client’s company is very unfriendly, and as such, we consider this claim of 500,000 in compensation to be justified and reasonable."

Seeing this, Luo Xiaobu quickly looked towards the spectator’s area, as if seeking help.

Zhang Wei quickly made a fist gesture, signaling: Counterattack, do it now!

Once Lawyer Tian finished speaking, Luo Xiaobu also immediately stood up, looking panicked but still quickly interjected:

"Your Honor, at the time, I mistakenly entered the plaintiff’s showroom bathroom due to discomfort in my stomach and being misled by the exhibition hall’s signage."

"I want to state that it was my first visit to that mall since its renovation last year, and I was not familiar with the directions and the location of the restrooms, which led to my misinterpretation of the signage. I believe the plaintiff also bears some responsibility for this incident!"

As Luo Xiaobu said this, his gaze toward the plaintiff’s bench was tinged with defiance.

Although it was an act, the jurors aren’t experienced enough in courtroom to discern whether he was putting on a performance.

They simply thought that the defendant, a heavyset man, facing lawyers from the Top Ten Firms, seemed quite formidable.

After finishing, Luo Xiaobu looked again at the bench where the audience sat.

Zhang Wei’s clenched fist lifted slightly but didn’t unfurl, signaling: Keep fighting back, don’t stop.

Instantly, Luo Xiaobu turned toward the plaintiff’s bench and continued, "Furthermore, I acknowledge the inappropriateness of my actions, which is why I offered 1,000 yuan to clean the exhibition hall bathroom. The defense believes that cleaning a showroom toilet could be completed for half the price, so 1,000 yuan is certainly more than sufficient!"

"Your Honor, and ladies and gentlemen of the jury, there’s a saying that ’nature calls,’ and under enormous pressure, one loses the ability to judge basic matters; if you were in a strange mall and saw a sign for a restroom, you might do the same thing I did. This incident is but a reflex, or let’s say an instinctual response due to a mistake made inadvertently."

"Your Honor, and the six members of the jury, I’m sure you’ve had the experience of feeling unbearably desperate. I trust you can understand the immense physical and psychological stress I was under at the time?"

"We believe that the plaintiff’s claim for compensation of 500,000 yuan for my inadvertent mistake is utterly unreasonable!"

Luo Xiaobu re-emphasized that at the time, he truly couldn’t help himself.

And of course, this is true; when someone is desperate to relieve themselves, they can be described as frantically anxious, and anything is possible in such a state.

The judge nodded unconsciously.

At the same time, some of the six jurors also looked at Luo Xiaobu with eyes full of understanding.

Lawyer Tian frowned slightly upon witnessing this scene.

He knew he had to change the direction of the wind.

"The defendant believes our claim is a capricious dispute?"

"Yes, and I’ve paid 1,000 yuan for the cleaning of the sanitary ware, and I’ve sincerely apologized. Isn’t that enough for you?"

Luo Xiaobu faced Lawyer Tian with rare assertiveness.

Because he realized that by following Zhang Wei’s advice, it seemed to win the understanding of both the jurors and the judge.

Zhang Wei is really amazing!

Then, by following Zhang’s advice, couldn’t I win?

The thought of winning the lawsuit excited Luo Xiaobu, and he was no longer afraid.

What about lawyers from the Top Ten Firms? I have Zhang Wei behind me; you probably can’t guess how strong he is, can you?

"I thought he was a pushover, but it turns out there’s a mastermind behind him!"

Lawyer Tian’s gaze locked onto Zhang Wei, seated in the first row of the audience, his eyes filled with wariness.

Luo Xiaobu, of course, was not afraid, but Zhang Wei was a different matter.

Especially since he also noticed the "subtle moves" between Zhang Wei and Luo Xiaobu, he understood that while the opponent may appear weak, it doesn’t mean they lack the ability to retaliate.

He could suppress Luo Xiaobu, but if he didn’t finish him off, he could leave an opening for the person behind him to find an opportunity to counterattack.

"Kid, don’t blame me then; I’m going to give it my all!"

Lawyer Tian decided that even against a weak opponent, he needed to do his best!

"No, no, no, the defendant misunderstood; I find the 1,000 yuan cleaning fee to be unreasonable. As for your so-called apology, it lacked any sincerity. You were thinking of wrapping up the incident quickly and escaping, weren’t you?"

Lawyer Tian sneered, his voice somber: "Your public defecation is something my client cannot tolerate. As for apologies, if anything could be solved with an apology, then I could apologize a hundred times, a thousand times a day!"

"Your Honor, we believe that the defendant’s actions have violated tort law!"

"Tort law?"

On the defendant’s bench, Luo Xiaobu appeared bewildered; what provisions of the "Tort Law" had he almost forgotten?

"Tort law?"

Zhang Wei was also taken aback for a moment, looking at the plaintiff’s bench, his expression gradually turning strange.

"Oh, I get it now, property tort—it’s the plaintiff’s property, the toilet. So that’s the tactic!"

In just a moment, Zhang Wei had figured out the plaintiff’s strategy.

Meanwhile, Lawyer Tian began to speak clearly:

"According to the civil tort ordinance, infringement is the violation of another’s legal rights and interests, which not only include material aspects but also encompass mental and conscious levels..."

"Let’s first talk about the material, or property, aspect. The defendant Luo Xiaobu urinated publicly within the property area of my client, causing damage to the sanitary ware displayed, which was valued at a total of 30,000 yuan. This behavior constitutes property infringement."

"My client’s company showcased ceramic sanitary ware as the theme of its promotion that day. Due to the defendant Luo Xiaobu’s actions, my client had to spend a significant amount of manpower and material resources to dismantle the entire set of sanitary ware. Additionally, the exhibition had to be interrupted, and subsequent guest performances and so forth also had to be canceled. Including all the prior investment in promotion and marketing, we believe it is not an exaggeration to describe my client’s loss as ’severe!’"

"Furthermore, after the incident, the negative online comments have tarnished my client’s company’s image tremendously!"

"Your Honor, if you now use a smartphone to open a web page, you will find that my client’s company’s name has continuously been ranked around the top ten on the Dongfang Capital trending word leaderboard. Coupled with the misleading nature of internet public opinion and online comments, my client’s company’s reputation has almost hit rock bottom. They don’t know how much resources and public relations efforts it will take to recoup this loss."

"It is fair to say that Mr. Luo Xiaobu’s actions have caused infringement on the mental and conscious levels as well to my client!"

After listening, the judge solemnly nodded his head.

These words were true; Good Cleaning Company’s products are mainly bathroom cleaning utensils.

Now, when people search for this company, they find news about that thing; it indeed has a huge negative impact on the company’s image.

Netizens all search for bathroom utensils, and what they see is that thing; would they still buy Good Cleaning Company’s products?

The answer, of course, is no!

Who would buy products associated with so many ’negative comments’? I want to clean up ****, but your product makes people think of ****; wouldn’t buying this be idiotic?

This time, not only did the judge understand, but the six jurors did too, and they looked at the plaintiff with a hint of pity.

"Damn, this is beyond the scope!"

Zhang Wei felt his heart sink when he saw this.

Due to the limited time, he had only received Luo Xiaobu’s call for help last night and had only helped him with a mock trial defense this morning. Many things hadn’t been considered.

And because of the rushed preparation, many of the defense statements he had prepared for Luo Xiaobu were one-sided.

Now, as Lawyer Tian employed a rather profound strategy, Zhang Wei knew Luo Xiaobu obviously couldn’t answer.

"Zhang Wei, what should we do? You didn’t cover this topic with me..."

Indeed, Luo Xiaobu was also flustered at this moment.

On the mock trial defense script Zhang Wei had given him, there were no counter-arguments to the infringement issues raised by Lawyer Tian.

This move had truly caught him off guard.

He looked toward his only backup in the spectator seat, but unfortunately, the latter shook his head too.

This tactic was temporarily unsolvable.

"Your Honor, the defense requests a recess..." Luo Xiaobu had no choice but to resort to this tactic.

"On what grounds?" The judge looked slightly surprised but still asked.

"The grounds... are..." But that question stopped Luo Xiaobu in his tracks.

Yes, if he was to request a recess, what reason should he give?

It couldn’t possibly be to say that he needed to consult with Zhang Wei in the spectator seats, could it? Since Zhang Wei wasn’t his lawyer, the judge wouldn’t agree.

"Thinking about asking for help again, do you think I’ll give you a chance?"

Lawyer Tian from the plaintiff’s bench also saw through Luo Xiaobu’s intentions.

"Your Honor, this case is under expedited proceedings. The defense has no basis to request a recess; is that not a bit excessive?"

"Lawyer Tian has a point, please inform us of the grounds for a recess promptly!"

"I..."

Understanding, the judge spoke with displeasure, "Since the defense has no grounds, the court does not grant a recess. The debate will continue!"

Seeing that the judge disagreed, Luo Xiaobu’s face immediately turned ashen.

On the plaintiff’s bench, Lawyer Tian smiled triumphantly.

Victory was his!

But why was he so excited about winning against an easy opponent?

It felt as if he had defeated a formidable enemy, didn’t it?

But the real formidable opponent, hadn’t he been seated in front of the spectator seats all along?