“I Am My Mother’s Lawyer.” The Courtroom Smirked — Until a Nine-Year-Old Exposed the Evidence That Crushed a Billion-Dollar Institution

“Proceed,” he said.

Ava did not look at the audience, or at the lawyers who towered over her; she looked at her mother, whose eyes glistened with terror and pride in equal measure, and drew a slow breath.

“Three months ago,” Ava began, reading from notes written in careful block letters, “my mom was fired from Crestwood Preparatory after seven years of employment. The termination letter said she was ‘unprofessional’ and ‘failed to follow sanitation protocol.’”

Richard Latham stood immediately.

“Objection. This is hearsay and theatrical nonsense.”