Tuesday, June 28, 2011

ANOTHER SPECIAL MIDWEEK VISIT TO THE ALOTT5MA GRAMMAR RODEO:  Why is it, Amanda Rice wants to know, that judges refer to objections as "sustained" or "overruled" rather than "granted" or "denied"?

8 comments:

  1. Jenn.8:31 AM

    Because objections are technically not motions. They could be combined with a motion (which would then be granted or denied), but otherwise, they are registering complaints and issues.

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  2. Paul Tabachneck8:55 AM

    Also, you can't deny an objection -- the objection is there whether you like it or not -- but you can either agree or disagree with its validity.  A judge's opinion ranks top in the pecking order of the courtroom, so his agreement or dissent actually either sustains or overrules an argument.  

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  3. Benner11:25 AM

    What if someone strenuously objects?

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  4. isaac_spaceman12:31 PM

    No offense to Amanda Rice, but that's like saying "why are TV shows 'renewed' or 'cancelled' instead of 'in print' or 'out of print'?"  I don't know how else to say this except that a word has to describe what it's supposed to describe, and if it doesn't, it's not the right word. 

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  5. Watchman5:32 PM

    `When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, `it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'
    `The question is,' said Alice, `whether you can make words mean so many different things.'
    `The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, `which is to be master - - that's all.'

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  6. Seems I like everything today, which wouldn't be notable except that it's so unusual.

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  7. isaac_spaceman6:01 PM

    Okay, but I think that in this analogy, Amanda is Humpty. 

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  8. J. Bowman9:57 PM

    I really only kind of like this. But I felt it needed someone to like it.

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