Wheels of justice

I must have heard my father, now a retired administrative law judge, say a thousand times "The wheels of justice turn slowly". Proof of that today:

The judge in the Scott Peterson case delayed the convicted murderer's formal sentencing hearing until March 16 today after defense attorneys said they were unprepared to proceed with the final stage of the trial.

And:

A judge gave Terri Schiavo's husband permission to remove the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube in three weeks, handing him a victory in his effort to carry out what he says were his wife's wishes not to be kept alive artificially.

In the Schiavo case the judge's ruling almost assures more court action by delaying for three weeks removing the feeding tube. But he says the case must end. He really just doesn't want to be the judge responsible for the ultimate result.

The judge wrote that he was no longer comfortable granting delays in the family feud, which has been going on for nearly seven years and has been waged in every level of Florida's court system. He said the case must end.