Lunch Orders!

The Wall Street Journal law blog reports orders made by Judge Pendleton Gaines in a patent case, on an application by the plaintiff's lawyer to compel the defendant to lunch with him.  The judgement makes very entertaining reading.

Not only did His Honour order the lawyers to lunch together, he set out clear directions on how and when lunch was to take place including:

• Location - specifying suitable restaurants
• Timing - to take into account that the Plaintiff's counsel has a "penchant for taking extended cruises during the summer months"
• How the cost of the lunch will be apportioned, and that a 20% tip should be applied to the bill
• The issues to be discussed.

His Honour suggested that discussions occur after the lawyers had eaten noting "the temperaments of the Court's children always improved after a meal".

A far more interesting way to resolve an interlocutory application than a self executing order!