Might make sense for next time, since there will be one at some point, to
have a private conversation with the judge and learn WHY this happened
(besides legal wrangling).  It may be that if the photos were done by a
state official, or a cop, or a national humane group, or some other that
they would be more likely to be admitted, or (perhaps BEST) if they were
instant photos which were then signed and dated by witnesses at the scene
so that it was obvious that no alterations could have been made in any
way, or...
 
Work out each and every detail that was a weakness for your side.  Ask what
weaknesses you might have missed and what could be done to correct them.
Note them down in a POLITE and short to-the-point letter requesting an
appointment, or a reply, or both if possible, and saying that you really
want to understand how such situations could be handled differently in the
future to have an outcome which better serves the animals and is more true
to the situation encountered.  DO NOT GET ANGRY and stay focused in the
letter and at any meeting.  If you get this information then the judge is
DOING US ALL AND THE FUTURE FERRETS A FAVOR.  Plus, that information on
how to be most effective in such cases could then be shared so that others
could use it and that would save so very, very many long term!
 
Remember that the latitude any judge has is bordered by the law so a
sympathetic judge can not always have things turnout the way the judge
would like them to end, either.
 
If the judge will not discuss this with you then get an appointment with
a different judge, or with major humane groups (to find out what they do
to achieve success), or with multiples of such experts.  It would be
absolutely great if people around the nation did this and shared what they
learn about having reasonably air-tight cases.
 
It's time now to think ahead to the next time and to learn during the
hiatus so that all ferrets can be helped.  If a person just says "legal
wrangling' then nothing is learned, and one reality of legal wrangling is
that:
the tighter the case,
the less inviolate the evidence,
the more respected and practised the witnesses,
then the less wrangling will work for the opposition and the more it
will work against the opposition in your everyday situation (and
animal abuse is an everyday situation).  You can't change what went
wrong; you can only LEARN HOW TO MINIMIZE THAT HAPPENING AGAIN.
 
Here's to successes in all the next times and to the information that
can make a reality!
[Posted in FML issue 3324]