WHY I DECIDED TO WRITE CONTEMPT OF COURT by Ken Malovos
I first decided to write CONTEMPT OF COURT many years
ago. I suppose I am like a lot of
lawyers who promise themselves that one day they will write a great American
novel. My book is not exactly that, but
I hope that the reader will find it enjoyable. This is my first novel.
The story is about a Sacramento trial lawyer who is in
trouble. He is still trying to come to
grips with the loss of his wife to ovarian cancer five years ago. One day, he is mugged on the bike trail when
out for a jog. The mugger takes his car keys, steals his car and ransacks his
home. His law office is
burglarized. He is smashed from behind
one day when driving on the freeway. To
top it off, he is held in contempt of court by a judge for no good reason and
thrown in jail. Then things really go
bad. Unfortunately, the authorities
aren’t much help. So my hero and his law
partner have to figure it out for themselves.
The stakes go up, and the question is whether they can figure it all out
before someone is killed.
I have been practicing law in Sacramento for more than forty
years, first as a public defender then as a business litigator. I have loved both types of law and have drawn
upon my experiences in fashioning this story.
I recall a case when a judge threatened to hold some
attorneys in contempt of court for not following his order to turn over
financial documents to the attorneys on the other side of the case. Problem was that all of the attorneys were
under an explicit order from another judge, who was handling a related divorce,
to not divulge any financial information. This judge was trying to protect the
privacy of both the husband and wife, so his order made imminent sense in the
divorce case. Nonetheless, the first
judge was not persuaded. So I wondered why the first judge would do this. Was
there some hidden agenda?
I combined this dilemma with a fear that a lot of criminal
defense lawyers have, which is that a former client might be released from
prison and come back to settle some score.
Or it could be a witness in some case who felt that he was not treated
right. A lot of my story is true or is
at least based on true stories, with some embellishment.
When I set about this project, I started by following the
age-old advice of just sitting down and writing and to focus on what you
know. About five years and ten revisions
later, I finally finished my book. It
has been a very exciting time.
I love the pure ecstasy when I am alone, sitting in front of
my computer and writing, especially when I have figured out exactly what I want
to say. It means that I have given a
great deal of thought to the particular passage or chapter and have a clear
plan for what will happen. Even when I
have not figured out exactly what to say, there are times when it just comes to
me, as I write. It is obvious and it
feels right. There is pure joy in writing at those times. I have started sometimes in this writing mode
in the morning and all of sudden realized that it is 5 p.m., with no
recognition of the passage of time.
I have to say that there are other times when it does not
come so easily. Then I have to grind it
out. But as long as I am making
progress, it is still very exciting. I
am creating something out of nothing.
During the time it took to write this novel, I spent quite a
bit of time learning about the art of writing fiction. I took online courses in
creative and novel writing, I attended writing conferences and learned from
professionals what was necessary for a good novel. I read countless books on how to write. I have kept them all and they sit on my
bookshelf for my occasional reference when I get stuck. As an aside, it is amazing how many good
books exist on how to write. I have
listened to several CDs of authors talking about writing.
When I read a novel now, it is a different experience for
me. I look at style, how characters are
introduced and developed, how the plot develops, transitions and tension.
I hope that readers will enjoy this book, but also gain a
new appreciation for how hard trial lawyers work every day. It is a very big responsibility to go into
the courtroom and carry someone’s hopes for justice on your shoulders. Trials are very difficult events for lawyers
on both sides, but especially difficult when you are convinced that you as the
lawyer are right. You have to accept
that the result is out of your control.
This is one of the hardest lessons in life to learn, both for the lawyer
and for the client.
Title: Contempt of Court
Author: Ken
Malovos
Genre: Legal
thriller/mystery
Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
(October 23, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1484159454
ISBN-13:
978-1484159453
Kindle: B00GJXAY4Y
About
the author:
Ken Malovos is a mediator and
arbitrator in Sacramento, CA. Previously, he was a trial lawyer, a public
defender for 12 years and a business litigator for 25 years. He is a graduate
of Stanford University (philosophy) and UC Hastings College of the Law. Ken is
a past president of the Sacramento County Bar Association and Legal Services of
Northern California. He is a panel member for the American Arbitration
Association, a fellow in the College of Commercial Arbitrators, a member of the
National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals and a member of the California
Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. Contempt
of Court is his first novel. He lives in Sacramento with his wife.
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