divine angst

I ran a really great Westlaw search this afternoon–the kind that produces just a handful of results, even in the biggest database of cases, most of which are actually on point.

As I paged through the cases, one looked weirdly familiar. The name of the appellee sounded familiar, the facts sounded familiar. Something about the case just struck me. I looked at it and wondered if I’d read it before, when running a similar search. I couldn’t figure it out.

And then it hit me.

I scrolled up to the list of appellants. I realized I recognized the “name” appellant’s name, though the spelling wasn’t what I expected. But the next two names confirmed it.

Third and fourth on the list were two of my relatives. A married couple. Who I grew up with. Who, along with several neighbors, sued a neighboring company for violating an easement on their property. Their property which I visited several times a year before we moved to the tundra. Their property where I had my engagement party, during which my relatives discussed how they’d just finished the last of the litigation over the easement. Which, today, I read all about. That last bit of litigation, that is.

Millions of cases on Westlaw. My very narrow search. A case involving people I know and grew up with and property I’ve spent countless hours enjoying. Westlaw voodoo. Pretty cool.