I was hoping for some good blogfodder this week, but that hasn’t been coming so far. Judge Mark V. Holmes tempted me today with Linda J. Martin and John A. Martin, 2021 T. C. Memo. 35, filed 3/24/21; John A. was a “do it all” gearjammer and tranny whisperer for Landmark Motorsports, and tended to their round-the-clock racers at the American Le Mans, our version of the celebrated Vant Cat Errs. As I started reading, I was thinking of entitling the blogpost “Rev Up Yer Engines!” echoing a celebrated YouTube gearjammer.

But alas, it was all to do with a huge NOL, legal fees from family feuds, and enough undocumentation to furnish a political rant, if I went in for such.

So I was relegated to the 200 (count ’em, 200) Orders on today’s roster, which is not word-searchable.

And I found an order from the wordprocessor of that gentleman and scholar, Judge Patrick J (“Scholar Pat”) Urda, Estate of Peter T. Loftin, Deceased, Thomas J. Wilson, Personal Representative, Docket No. 4723-16, filed 3/24/21. TJ and IRS were narrowing issues, so they filed a joint status report asking for more time.

Scholar Pat was willing, despite Judge David Gustafson’s disapproval of Stealth Adjournments; see my blogpost “Ya Gotta Move, Move, Move,” 2/27/18.

But there’s a hitch (naturally).

“Additionally, after review of the joint status report, it appears to the Court that it is not properly signed by petitioner’s counsel. We will ask the parties to file an amended status report reflecting proper signatures.” Order, at p. 1. So Judge Scholar Pat sends off TJ’s trusty attorney, whom I’ll call Mike, to take a quick peek at Rule 23(a)(3), and sign the report.

This is to what we are reduced. Judge Scholar Pat, honors graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and Harvard Law School, veteran of distinguished whiteshoe law firms, and five-times-awarded DOJ trial advocate, must scan and correct routine orders.

And Taishoff, “a general practitioner of mediocre qualifications and limited experience,” seeking the bubble reputation in the cliché’s mouth, must chronicle the same.