Lord of Mysteries: The New Black Emperor

Chapter 80: Exploiting Loopholes

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Hobert's defense was nothing short of brilliant. He skillfully dodged the opponent's attacks while delivering an unexpected blow that left no way out for the other party.

However, Hobert knew that this victory was partly due to the opponent's excessive "cooperation." He had considered this issue yesterday. If Barton had been defending the accused, he definitely wouldn't have adamantly insisted that the loan agreement was legally invalid.

Doing so would either lead to an endless debate with the plaintiff's lawyer or allow the plaintiff's lawyer, like Hobert, to exploit loopholes in the relevant regulations.

Neither scenario would be desirable for the defendant's lawyer.

Of course, this was just hypothetical—Barton wouldn't be interested in such a minor case.

Soon, the judge made the ruling, ordering the defendant to repay the loan within three weeks.

At the moment the judge made the decision, Hobert once again felt the euphoric sensation of digesting the potion!

He immediately reflected: Did I digest the potion this time because I completed the commission? No, completing a commission should only make spirituality more active. Could it be because I exploited the rules of law? No!

Hobert suddenly had an epiphany: It was the loophole. I exploited a loophole in the regulations!

Compared to his previous potion digestions, Hobert found that the potion he had digested from winning through exploiting a loophole was similar to the potion he had digested when using rules to his advantage.

Being adept at utilizing rules and spotting exploitable loopholes within them—this is the essence of a "Lawyer!"

Hobert smiled knowingly. Following this principle in his acting would allow him to digest the potion faster than he had planned!

Perhaps with two or three more cases like this, he could fully digest the potion!

After the court session, Sean enthusiastically shook Hobert's hand and said, "That was the most brilliant argument I've ever seen!"

When Sean signed the commission with Hobert yesterday, he had been full of doubts. He thought Hobert was too young and just a legal assistant. He wasn't sure if Hobert could match up against the opposing lawyer.

After seeing the defendant's miserable defeat today, Sean felt the attorney's fees were well worth it.

When they reached the gallery, Fors smiled and said, "When Xio dragged me here, I thought I was going to witness two lawyers droning on about sleep-inducing legal clauses, arguing over each word.

"I didn't expect you to win so cleanly. Hmm, it gave me a lot of inspiration. I should come and listen to your defenses more often; maybe I could write a novel where the protagonist is a lawyer."

Hobert smiled and said, "I'll be defending the plaintiff here again tomorrow. If you're willing to come, you can listen in. However, that case will be a tough one."

Tomorrow, he would be defending Bob.

After chatting for a bit, everyone went their separate ways. The defendant had already agreed to repay the money within the week, and only after the payment would Mr. Sean settle Hobert's commission.

Instead of returning to the law firm, Hobert took a carriage to the Ministry of Justice to collect his lawyer's certificate.

From today onward, he was officially a lawyer, qualifying him to defend clients in formal court.

Of course, that is only if someone hires him. Cases heard in formal courts are usually criminal cases or disputes involving nobles.

Those who can afford it would always hire top lawyers to fight their cases.

The most common job for official lawyers is to help top lawyers prepare defense materials, with very few opportunities to appear in court.

Those who cannot afford legal fees are likely to choose not to hire a lawyer at all. After all, an ordinary lawyer is no match for a top lawyer, and often paying for one leads to losing the case. They might as well resign to their fate and not repay the debt.

This mindset and situation severely limited the courtroom opportunities for lawyers like Hobert.

However, Hobert believed that Bob's case might require the use of his lawyer certificate. Thinking about tomorrow's defense, he felt somewhat nervous, unsure whether his plan would succeed.

During dinner, Donna noticed something off about Hobert. "Hobert, you seem distracted."

"I'm thinking about tomorrow's defense strategy," Hobert replied with a smile. "It's going to be a big challenge for me."

"Hahaha, pressure is a good thing!" Christian laughed. "It means you're improving."

He sighed and said, "It reminds me of my time in the Southern Continent. Back then, I was about your age…"

And thus, the dinner table's staple program, "The General's Stories of the Southern Continent," began. Only this time, before Christian could get far, Donna unceremoniously interrupted, "You and your comrade blew up the enemy's bunker, right? Father, you've told this story already!... And then the two of you captured nine enemies, didn't you? Father, you've told this one too..."

Seeing Christian deep in thought—whether he was making up a new story or trying hard to recall his past glories—Hobert smiled knowingly, feeling much better.

The next day, Hobert arrived early at the Justice Court, but to his surprise, Bob was there even earlier.

He was still leaning on that makeshift crutch made from a tree branch. His clothes were tattered with several obvious holes, but they had clearly been washed, looking much cleaner than when they last met. His hair was also tidied up, making him look much more presentable.

The two exchanged a smile and entered the court, one taking a seat at the plaintiff's table, the other at the plaintiff lawyer's table.

At that moment, Hobert whispered to Bob, "As I mentioned before, this case is tough. I'm not exaggerating; we may end up making many enemies, including the judge."

Bob nodded. "I understand how difficult it is for you to be sitting beside me, Counselor."

Hobert smiled. "I don't mean to brag; I just hope you fully trust me. No matter what I do during the hearing, you need to support me."

"I trust you, Counselor," Bob said. "David told me about how you accepted their commission and helped them recover their losses."

Hobert nodded, "That's good."

Then, they waited for the hearing to begin. A few people gradually appeared in the gallery, including David and Robin, several of Bob's coworkers, and Fors sitting in the corner.

At precisely 9:00, the judge took his seat, and the hearing officially began.

As the plaintiff's lawyer, Hobert first presented the facts: Bob had been disabled at the defendant's factory and lost his ability to work.

"We're not denying responsibility," the defendant's lawyer said with a smile. "Mr. Arnold is a benevolent millionaire. He has already paid for Mr. Bob's medical expenses according to the relevant regulations and will compensate him with a lump sum of 100 pounds."

Hobert replied, "That's exactly the point I want to make—100 pounds is far from enough to sustain Mr. Bob's future life."

"So, what's your demand?"

"We require at least 1000 pounds in compensation!"

His words caused a few gasps.

The defendant's lawyer shook his head. "Defense counsel, this is a courtroom, not a circus, and you are not a Clown telling poor jokes on stage."