Lord Mansfield said it more than 225 years ago. What does it mean? The expression has changed over time to possession is nine-tenths of the law. Does that make any more sense? If you steal something from the store, you do not acquire ownership.
There have been a variety of interpretations. Some have interpreted it to mean it is every advantage a person can have short of actual right. Others have said that to succeed on a case, you have to have these nine things: (1) a good deal of money; (2) a good deal of patience; (3) a good cause; (4) a good lawyer; (5) a good counsel; (6) good witnesses; (7) a good jury; (8) a good judge; and (9) good luck.
In general, I agree with those nine points. When clients call me about a potential case, I always tell them that litigation is expensive and slow. I review the merits of the case with them and advise them about the merits of their position. You do need to have good witnesses to support your case, a favorable jury and some luck never hurts. A good judge in Massachusetts can sometimes be part of that luck, since judges in Massachusetts state court rotate, so you never know who you will be before on a particular day.
I'll be blogging about various legal issues and I hope that you will think that I provide good counsel and am a good lawyer after you have read some posts.
