I've just got home from the first hearing. I had built it up in my head to be something really critical and somewhat daunting. Well I have to say it was an amazing anticlimax. The hearing was not held in a Rumpole of the Bailey style court room, which my imagination had been conjouring up in my dreams of late. It was in the judges chambers - a kind of headmasters office. No suprise then that during the hearing I was rather concerned that the judge might produce his cane and set about handing out six of the best at any moment.

As I said the whole thing was something of a disappointment. I thought we would be engaging in the cut and thrust of legal examination and cross-examination. Instead it was all very calm and methodical. To save costs both my wife and I had elected to attend alone - without our solcitors, and to be frank that was a good move. I wouldn't have wanted to blow several hundred pounds each on such a non-event. Very little actually happened. The judge described the process, asked us if we had exchanged Form E's (we had) and concluded that the matter would be listed for and FDR in a few months time.

I feel kind of cheated - I flew back from the US for that! We could have done it in a 5 minute conference call.