Chapter 24: Good Heavens, So You Have Depression, Do You?!
Su Bai sat at the plaintiff's table, adjusted his suit, and with a calm expression placed the prepared materials setting forth the facts and reasons for the lawsuit, as well as the litigation claims, on the table before him, while a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The second case had begun.
In response to the presiding judge's question, Su Bai stated slowly:
"Presiding Judge, our request is very simple. We only hope that the court can protect our lawful rights and interests in accordance with the law."
"The following are our litigation claims."
"First, we request that the defendant, namely Xie Jing, be convicted of fraud, because the defendant has already committed fraudulent acts against our side, and the amount involved reaches several million, therefore we request that she be punished severely and strictly."
"Second, with respect to Xie Jing's fraudulent conduct against our side, we request dissolution of the marital relationship, and we also request that the defendant return the fruits of our many years of labor and compensate us for the loss of property."
"Third, because the defendant committed fraudulent acts against our side, causing enormous emotional harm, we request that the opposing party compensate us for emotional distress in the amount of twenty thousand yuan per year, amounting to sixty thousand yuan for three years."
"Fourth, by using marriage as a means to commit fraud against our side, the defendant has seriously harmed our image and reputation, among other things, and we therefore request that the opposing party provide compensation for our losses in the amount of ten thousand yuan per year, amounting to thirty thousand yuan in total."
"Fifth, we request that the opposing party bear the corresponding attorney's fees."
Su Bai's voice echoed throughout the courtroom.
Xie Jing sat at the defendant's table and looked at Ye Fei nervously.
What should she do?
He had really filed suit against her for fraud.
As Ye Fei listened to Su Bai's litigation claims, her brows furrowed more deeply with every sentence. Were these claims not complete nonsense?
Fraud?
Marriage fraud could count as fraud, but they had already been married for three years, and now it was still fraud?
After listening to Su Bai's litigation claims, Ye Fei felt reassured.
She could now roughly conclude that the other side was speaking complete nonsense, and that the purpose was simply to guide her into debating irrelevant matters.
Ye Fei looked at the nervous Xie Jing, fixed her gaze on her, and signaled that she should not worry.
On the judicial bench.
Yang Yu looked at the materials while listening to Su Bai's claims.
After Su Bai finished speaking, he struck the gavel.
'Bang bang bang.'
"The plaintiff has completed the statement. The defendant may now begin stating its litigation claims."
Ye Fei cast a cold glance in Su Bai's direction, her eyes full of disdain.
After noticing this, Li Xuezhen tugged at Su Bai's sleeve and spoke softly.
"Lawyer Su, this woman is glaring at you."
"Do not mind her."
Su Bai shook his head. She was disdainful now, but once the defense began, she would know who truly held the upper hand.
In court, lawyers often use unpleasant language or conduct to influence opposing counsel.
This is done to provoke the emotions of opposing counsel and draw them into one's own line of argument.
In this respect, to Su Bai, Ye Fei was merely a novice lawyer who had only just entered the profession.
Seeing that Su Bai had no reaction at all, Ye Fei withdrew her gaze and began to state the litigation claims.
"Presiding Judge, as the defendant, our litigation claims are as follows."
"First, we request dismissal of all the plaintiff's litigation claims. We do not accept the plaintiff's assertion that our side committed marital fraud. There is a factual marital relationship, and the elements constituting fraud are not satisfied, so we request dismissal."
"Second, with respect to the plaintiff's accusations against our side, these demonstrate that the plaintiff has already lost the basic emotional foundation of the marriage with our side, and that the marital relationship has broken down. On this basis, we request dissolution of the marital relationship."
"Third, we request division of the marital common property and shared responsibility for the marital common debts."
"The common property to be divided is as follows: one 128 square meter (~1,378 sq ft) residence in Nantian Garden, one 136 square meter (~1,464 sq ft) residence in Beixi Garden, and various other properties."
"The jointly borne debts are as follows."
"For the sake of the family, our side borrowed two hundred thousand yuan, and we request that the other party bear this debt jointly."
"Furthermore, because of the emotional harm caused by the other party, which led to the breakdown of the marital relationship and caused our side to develop depressive symptoms, we request a certain degree of compensation in the division of property."
"Fourth, we request that the opposing party bear the attorney's fees and the related litigation costs."
Good heavens.
No wonder this Lawyer Ye had such a high success rate in divorce litigation.
So this was her decisive technique.
Depression.
This was practically the ultimate weapon for women in divorce cases.
Once depression is invoked, would the judge not have to take the other party's special circumstances into account and make certain evaluative considerations?
Li Xuezhen spoke softly from the side. "Lawyer Su, if the other party has depression, that should have some effect on the judgment in a divorce case, should it not?"
Su Bai slightly raised the corner of his mouth. "Do you think she has depression?"
"This."
Li Xuezhen shook her head. "She can eat, sleep, and spend money. She does not seem like it."
"If she does not seem like it, then that is enough. Do not mind it."
"It is our turn to submit evidentiary support. Organize in advance the materials I previously asked you to prepare."
"Oh. All right, Lawyer Su."
Ye Fei looked at Su Bai with a proud expression. She was certain that this time the other side was bound to lose.
Once the decisive weapon of depression was brought out, ordinary lawyers simply could not withstand it.
If the client has depression, then what if the case is lost and the client cannot bear it and jumps from a building?
Or, since the opposing party caused such great harm to her client, would the judge not have to consider at least some inclination in the assessment?
In any case, once depression was involved, there was generally at least a prior condition ensuring that the case would not be lost.
Thinking back to the compensation for loss of youth that Su Bai had proposed during out of court mediation, what about it now?
Compensation?
Compensation for what?
After noticing Ye Fei's expression, Su Bai slightly raised the corner of his mouth, ignored her, and instead fixed his gaze on the judicial bench.
On the judicial bench.
After hearing the litigation claims raised by Ye Fei, Yang Yu looked at the materials in his hand and frowned slightly. Depression?
'Bang.'
The gavel struck.
"Both parties' litigation claims have now been presented in court. The next stage is for the plaintiff and the defendant to submit factual or legal grounds in support of their respective litigation claims."
"The plaintiff, Zhang Tongwei's side, shall first make its statement through entrusted counsel or the party himself."
"Counsel for the plaintiff, with respect to your claim that the defendant engaged in marital fraud, do you have a factual basis?"
Yang Yu directed his gaze toward the plaintiff's counsel table.
The reason he asked this was because this hearing was premised upon the existence of a marital relationship.
Zhang Tongwei and Xie Jing had been married for three years, and it was almost impossible to establish fraud in marriage under such circumstances.
If Su Bai could not answer.
Then this hearing would effectively be over.
Su Bai took the corresponding litigation materials from Li Xuezhen's hands, raised his head, and looked toward Yang Yu.
"Presiding Judge, before submitting the evidence, I would first like to ask the defendant a few questions."
"Are these questions related to the present case?"
"They are related to the present case, Presiding Judge."
'Bang bang.'
"As they are related to the present case, and in accordance with the procedural rules governing courtroom hearings, the application is approved. Counsel for the plaintiff may question the defendant."
Upon hearing the sound of the gavel falling, for some reason, a faint sense of foreboding suddenly arose in Ye Fei's heart.
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