Alice in Wonderland

昨天難得認真的寫了一篇網誌 送出之後居然斷線了
u know the feeling....DAMN!

這學期過了一半了吧 又到了選課的時間 再修四堂課就可以畢業了也
雖然看到degree audit上面的+越來越多(代表已經完成requirement)很開心
但這也代表我馬上就要離開pullman小鄉村了!
面對畢業典禮和離別場面一向不落淚的我 這次應該會哭出來吧
(還有人老了淚腺也會變發達 哈哈!)
之前姊妹們聚會的時候和大毛還有monica她們就有聊到
我們從台灣不同的地方來 在這個小地方認識 變成好朋友
有些人喜歡這裡 有些人不喜歡 但是住久了總是有感情的!
而且 這裡是一個 一離開就不會再回來的地方了
畢竟不是什麼渡假盛地(一放長假 逃都來不及了 還渡假勒!)
如果沒有當初過來的理由 沒有學生的身份 再大老遠的從台灣跑來這裡也完全沒有意義啊 美國人好像沒有台灣人"回學校看老師"那一套
修完課 下學期老師就不記得你是誰了!
總而言之 一旦轉身離開這個古老的大學城
在wsu的一切就會隨著漸行漸遠的背影慢慢走入回憶了吧
好的壞的 開心的難過的 當下的心境都無法再感受一次了

在美國念書的兩年 第一天在新鮮的體驗 第二年就開始在感傷的道別了呢
這樣也好啦 不要拖到第三年百般無奈的修課 然後第四年迫不及待的逃離!
現在講這個好像有點太早 還是來講些有趣的事吧

這幾天都非常冷 前陣子還下冰雹 (其實這邊還滿常下冰雹的)
我跟linda以及olivia坐在廚房邊吃麵邊看著窗外的冰塊轟瀉而下!!
前天跟olivia和kalia去地方法院聽case
因為他們在修blaw要做作業 我上學期修blaw的時候也應該去聽的
但是在這邊沒有車等於沒有腳 所以沒有腳的我只有聽朋友講講經驗
掰了一份報告就交出去了!我們老師比較好 不用寫什麼case number 所以可以用掰的!
在這邊 如果開車超速又不想繳那麼多罰款 可以去法院解釋
法官看我們窮學生很可憐通常會斟酌減輕罰款 但會留紀錄就是了!
我之前的報告就是在寫朋友的經驗
所以我以為地方法院都是在處理這種小事情
沒想到這一次去聽的還滿嚴重的!

有一個美國女生是偷竊慣犯而且還有吸毒
我們進去court的時候 她的律師已經在幫她求情了 講到後來她還一直哭
court裡面除了法官 還有兩個書記官 一個荷槍實彈的壯警衛
他們都坐在離律師及原告被告很遠的地方
原告被告的後面是旁聽席 另外一邊有陪審團的位子
但是小case不用陪審團 所以那天那邊是空的!
旁邊席裡除了我們三個很狀況外的人 還有那女生的家屬兩名
整個court裡面安靜到有人伸懶腰的喀喀聲都聽得到

就在法官講話的時候 我的手機居然振動了起來 嚇死我了!
因為在法院手機響 法官可以罰我五百元! 而且氣氛如此嚴肅...
我馬上把手機關機 沒想到關機還有關機的音樂 於是我的手機很白目的在法院裡面自顧自的播放自以為美妙的音樂 天吶!!!!
我整個背有如火在燒一樣發燙 好險法官沒有理我
不然我應該會過去跟那個女生一起哭吧

地方法院一點也沒有law & order裡面演的那樣充滿戲劇張力
(人家那個已經不是地方法院了吧...)
但是嚴肅的氣氛還是讓人很不自在 就這樣 我的法院之旅結束了!

附錄一篇business law的brief 是我之前認真讀case寫的報告 不是掰的喔!

Style: In re the Marriage of: Anne P. Graham v. Dennis J. Graham

Court: Supreme Court of Colorado

Citation: Colorado Report, vol.194, p. 429; Pacific Reporter, Second Series, vol.574, p. 75 (1978)

Issue: Whether in a marriage dissolution preceding an education degree constitutes marital property?

Facts: 

This case decided whether a master’s degree is considered a property. The Uniform Dissolution of Marriage Act requires courts should divide the property without regard to marital misconduct. The parties of this lawsuit were married on August 5th, 1968 in Denver, Colorado. Throughout the six-year marriage, the petitioner Anne Graham was employed as a full-time airline stewardess. The defendant, Dennis Graham, was working part-time and working on his MBA degree. The wife paid for most of Dennis’ tuition in grad school, and then after the husband finished his degree he filed the divorce. The hearing in Boulder County District Court decided that an education obtained by one spouse during a marriage is a jointly owned property. Therefore, the wife has the right for this degree. Finally, the court of appeals reversed, holding that an education is not a property subject, although it was one factor to be considered in determining how the properties are going to be divided between the husband and the wife.

Holding: An education degree does not constitute marital property.

Law: In section 14-10-113(2) Property: “ In short it embraces anything and everything which may belong to a man and in the ownership of which he has a right to be protected by law.”

Todd v. Todd: A law degree is not a community property asset capable of division, partly because it cannot have monetary value placed upon it.

Greer v. Greer: It must be considered as a substitute for, or in lieu of, the wife’s right in the husband’s property. The court did not determine that the medical education itself was divisible property.

Explanation: 

An education degree, such as an M.B.A., is simply not encompassed even by the broad views of the concept if “property.” It does not have an exchange value or any objective transferable value on an open market.

It is not the degree itself which constitutes the asset in question, Rather it is the increase in the husband’s earning power concomitant to that degree which is the assets conferred on him by his wife’s effort.