Report on performance
Scenario 7
This is a Federal Court case where the applicant is seeking an adjournment of the hearing to enable him to prepare his case and raises the issue that he has not had sufficient time to prepare his submissions.
Transcript of part of the discussion with the practitioner reads:
Practitioner I don't even have time to deal with this, you know, which landed on my doorstep when I got home at nine o'clock on Friday night. Now, any - I mean, if I was being represented by a lawyer, I am sure that this would be regarded as a legitimate ground of review, and that is why I made an affidavit, so you could adjourn it.
His Honour I am not sure that that is right, because a lawyer would probably absorb that document pretty quickly in the context of the case and say 'Well, this is a response to what we put up.'
Practitioner Except lawyers don't work on Sundays.
His Honour No, you must be joking.