Judge Norris pointed a wooden pen at the narrow door behind her bench.

“Counsel, parties, and Mr.

Reed, into my chambers right now,” she said.

The heavy oak door clicked shut behind us, cutting off the murmur from the gallery.

Judge Norris sat down behind her wide cherrywood desk and adjusted her reading glasses.

“I’m setting aside the surrender agreement in its entirety,” she said, her quiet voice carrying straight across the room.

“The record shows clear evidence of forgery, impersonation, and fraudulent conversion.”