'He showed up to Zoom court literally in the shower': 20+ Lawyers share the exact moment they knew their client was doomed

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Jun 13, 2025 7:00 AM EDT

I had jury duty once and thought, "Cool, a free day off work and maybe some courtroom drama." Instead, I sat in a holding room for two hours, went through jury selection for another two, finally made it into the courtroom, only for the defendant to take a plea deal and end the whole thing right then and there. Not quite the riveting legal thriller I had hoped for.

But with court cases being live-streamed and dissected online, the courtroom drama we crave is more accessible than ever. From the OG trial of the century, O.J. Simpson, to Ted Bundy's creepy courtroom charm offensive, and more recently, the internet-breaking Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard showdown, the public has become addicted to the theater of justice.

But for every explosive cross-examination and shocking twist, there are also cases where the outcome is painfully obvious from the start. 

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  • According to these lawyers, some clients walk in already defeated. The evidence is bad, the story doesn’t add up, or the vibe is just off. And here’s how they knew it wasn’t ending in a win.

  • Lawyers, what were your “This guy isn’t winning” cases?

    Cheezburger Image 10515735552
    via Wesley Tingey For Unsplash+
     

     

  • NotAnotherEmpire Friend who is a criminal defense attorney was called at 3-something AM by the presiding judge.
    via NotAnotherEmpire
  • "The sheriff is on his way to arrest your client, who is having his bond revoked. I am calling you at 3 AM about that because he is having his bond revoked for posting a real name social media threat directed at me and my family."
    via NotAnotherEmpire
  • LawlsuitEsq Had a client tell me she couldn't be charged with drink driving because her boyfriend was steering from the passenger seat and
    via LawlsuitEsq
  • she was just working the pedals. Passed that consult on to someone else with no shame.
    via LawlsuitEsq
  • PirateJohn75 I used to work in forensic science and had to testify a lot. One of my co- workers was on his way to testify when
    via PirateJohn75
  • he passed by a courtroom that had its door open and heard the attorney screaming at his client, "HOW CAN YOU SHOW UP DR NK TO A DUI TRIAL?!?!?!"
    via PirateJohn75
  • Cheezburger Image 10515735808
    via Tingey Injury Law Firm For Unsplash+
  • TenaciousE_518 Committed crime, then immediately text messages not one, but two friends, "I just [committed crime]."
    via TenaciousE_518
  • Stonewool_Jackson I worked for a trial graphics firm and was working on al case where a forklift driver was driving maniaclly and ran into a cinderblock wall of a new construction. It
    via Stonewool_Jackson
  • caused enough damage that a gentleman on a ladder on the 2nd level of the structure fell and fractured some vertabrae. The forklift driver was reprimanded the day prior driving the forklift in an unsafe manner. In his
    via Stonewool_Jackson
  • deposition, he bragged about how many speeding tickets and traffic violations he racked up in his corvette. It was fun watching the deposition back with the plaintiffs attorney.
    via Stonewool_Jackson
  • MountainDog111 Not a lawyer but was in court to testify. Defendant in another case is pleading guilty. The judge requires. him to allocute and he gives a detailed description. of his crime. He finishes,
    via MountainDog111
  • the judge looks at some paperwork and says "Sir, that's not what you're charged with."
    via MountainDog111
  • Morbidhanson Client sued for injuries from a car accident. He had about 3 or 4 other accidents within the 3 years prior. One of them was a big rollover accident. He
    via Morbidhanson
  • had medical treatment for all of them but he only disclosed the accidents that were not the rollover. Also, insurance company saw on his instagram that he went skiing even though he was
    via Morbidhanson
  • complaining about pain in his low back that was so bad he couldn't walk. We should never have taken the case, I don't know why the office signed him up.
    via Morbidhanson
  • JTHuffy I had a client give me the "poppy seed bagel" claim to justify a positive dg test... and it wasn't for opiates.
    via JTHuffy
  • Cam515278 Child visitation case. Mother argues for less visitation because father is always late (also in bringing the child to school) and generally unreliable.
    via Cam515278
  • Father is a whooping 38 minutes late to the hearing.
    via Cam515278
  • Kitsch_Cotash The federal judge asked all the attorneys on a civil case into chambers. He stared point blank at defense counsel and said: "The jury hates you, really really hates you."
    via Kitsch_Cotash
  • Johnnywannabe Any cases where someone states "I am sovereign and not subject to your jurisdiction."
    via Johnnywannabe
  • 1972bluenova Not a lawyer but both defendants husband and wife showed up way late 15 and 30 minutes late. Wife had big mouth and talked her way into judge stating she was 'utter essence of contempt'.
    via 1972bluenova
  • Groftsan Jury trial. Client on the stand. We'd gone over this evidence dozens of times before. The date of the service of a document was dispositive for the entire case:
    via Groftsan
  • Q: What is the office policy regarding issuing this letter to over-due accounts? A: We do it on the 5th of every month.
    via Groftsan
  • (I already was ready to face-palm here, because the document is dated the 3rd.) Q: Exhibit A is dated the 3rd, why is that? (hoping she would say "the 5th was a Sunday, so we wanted to get it out early." Instead she said...)
    via Groftsan
  • A: I don't know. It shouldn't be. If the 5th is a Sunday, we are supposed to serve it on the 6th. (Double face palm) Q: But if you dated it the third and signed the proof of service for the
    via Groftsan
  • third, that would mean you served it on the third, right? (Objection, leading. Sustained. Absolutely the correct call by OC and judge)
    via Groftsan
  • Q: When did you serve the document? A: I have no idea.
    via Groftsan
  • suckstoyerassmar NAL, one of our clients showed up to Zoom court literally in the shower. Noked. Showering. In front of the judge.
    via suckstoyerassmar

  • But sometimes, the defendant actually does know what they're doing. Read this next: 

    'His face was so red at the end I thought he'd have a heart attack': Landlord takes tenant to court after failing to pay rent, tenant wins and gets 9 months of free rent

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