"Court is back in session," said the judge a few minutes later after returning from his chambers. "The court seems to have a motion in front of it that directly involves this case."
"What type of motion, Your Honor?" asked Proctor.
"A motion to substitute counsel," said the judge.
"Which counsel, Your Honor?" Piper asked.
"You, apparently," said the judge. "According to the motion an attorney has moved that you be removed as attorneys' of record and he be substituted in your place."
"Which attorney, Your Honor?" asked Proctor.
"One Cole Turner," said the judge. "I assume Mr. Turner is in the courtroom."
"I am, Your Honor," said Cole rising from the back of the courtroom and walking up to the front. He was carrying a briefcase with him.
Leo and the girls simply stared at Cole as he stopped between the two tables. He smiled at them.
"Your Honor," said the prosecutor, "I'm familiar with Mr. Turner. However, it would be inappropriate to substitute counsel at this stage of the hearing. Especially since Mr. Turner is no longer an attorney."
"With all due respect to learned counsel," said Cole, removing some papers his briefcase and handing them to the bailiff, "I have sworn and notarized affidavits showing my membership in good standing with the California Bar Association as well as the Other World Bar Association. In addition, there are my credentials from the Other World Supreme Court stipulating that I am certified to practice law in all areas of criminal and civil law as specified by the Other World Legal Code.
"I'm also submitting precedents where counsel was substituted in several cases after the beginning of a trial. As well as rulings by the Other World Supreme Court stating that substituting counsel after the advent of a case is not necessarily prejudicial to that case. Your honor is well within his rights to substitute counsel even at this stage of the case."
Cole also handed duplicates of the documents to the prosecutor for his inspection.
"Mr. Turner seems to have forgotten something," said Proctor. "His affidavits notwithstanding, his credentials are not valid. Mr. Turner was vanquished by the advocates for the defense no less. And as any demon will tell you, once you've been vanquished all of your credentials are automatically rescinded. This allows their powers, position, and anything else associated with them to be passed on to another demon. It's well documented and not even Mr. Turner can dispute that."
"He's right, Mr. Turner," said Conciliator.
"Yes sir," said Cole. "However, this is based on the presumption that Cattarrin, the ruler of the Wasteland, informs the proper authorities that the Beast has absorbed the essences of vanquished demons. The Beast never absorbed my essence so Cattarrin would not have notified the authorities. This being the case, the proper documentation rescinding my credentials would not have been filed, thereby leaving my credentials intact."
"Mr. Turner has a point, Mr. Proctor," said the judge.
"One other point," said Proctor. "According to these documents, they've been issued to the demon Belthazor, not a human named Cole Turner. And Belthazor's vanquishing is a well-established fact, despite the lack of notification to the proper authorities. Cole Turner is not authorized to practice law in the Other World Realm. I submit that Mr. Turner does not possess the necessary credentials to substitute as counsel."
"It is also a well established fact," said Cole, "that Belthazor is my other ego, if you will. Now I will admit that a witch stripped Belthazor's powers from me. However, if Belthazor had been vanquished, as the prosecutor suggests, I would also have been vanquished. Since I am obviously standing right here, I submit that Belthazor was not vanquished but merely had his power stripped. And simply because I now go by the name Cole Turner instead of Belthazor, the documentation does apply to me."
"Accurate as always," said the judge. "Mr. Proctor, I must agree with Mr. Turner. What a person, or demon, calls themselves is irrelevant. However, Mr. Turner, since the documentation is issued to the demon Belthazor and not a human name Cole Turner, I will insist on referring to you by that name. For legal purposes."
"Understood, Your Honor," said Cole.
"Very well," said Proctor. "However, His Honor cannot substitute counsel at this point of the hearing without specific cause. Belthazor has offered no such cause."
"Check and mate, Belthazor," said the judge. "You are as aware of those causes as we are. You have offered me no legitimate reason to substitute you as counsel."
"I understand, Your Honor," said Cole, removing another paper from his briefcase. "I was prepared for this ruling. I would therefore request that I be added to the defense team as assistant counsel for the defense."
"You know an assistant counsel can't argue a case," said Proctor. "Only the attorney's of record are allowed to do that."
"Yes, I'm aware of it," said Cole. "But I can help in the defense."
"Mr. Proctor," asked the judge, "do you have any objection to Belthazor acting as assistant counsel for the defense?"
"No objection, Your Honor," said Proctor. "As long as he doesn't try to argue the case. That's the job of the attorney's of record."
"As I said," said Cole, "I know the role of an assistant counsel."
"Then no objection, Your Honor," said Proctor.
"Very well," said Conciliator. "Let the record show that Belthazor is hereby appointed assistant counsel for the defense."
"May I have a few minutes to confer with my co-counsel?" Cole asked.
"Very few minutes," said Conciliator.
Cole hurried over to Piper and the others. He whispered to them so that no one else in the courtroom could hear them.
"Piper," said Cole, "request a sidebar."
"A what?" Piper asked.
"A sidebar," said Cole. "As attorney of record you're the only one who can. Then we'll all go up to the judge so we can discuss something off the record."
"Discuss what?" Phoebe asked. "You're planning something. I can tell."
"No time to explain," said Cole. "Just request a sidebar now."
"Your Honor," said Piper, looking confused at Cole, "the defense would like to request a sidebar."
"Counsels approach," said the judge.
They all walked up to the bench followed by the prosecutor.
"What is it, Ms. Halliwell?" asked the judge.
"Well, I," began Piper.
"Your Honor," said Cole, "as an officer of the court it is my duty to inform you that any further proceedings in this hearing will be grounds for immediate appeal with the very real possibility that any rulings you make could be overturned."
"Based on what?" Proctor demanded to know.
"Defense counsel incompetence," said Cole, glancing at Leo and the sisters who simply stared at him in utter surprise.
"In my chambers, now," demanded the judge, more than a bit irate. "Court is in recess."