I have been so wrapped up and worried about what awaits me on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, and how much longer this will go on, that I mistakenly thought I was supposed to go to court sometime this week. I believed this date was the same as when I would receive the judgment. After further investigation, I found an event in my calendar for Tuesday, July 2, LAST WEEK! The realization that I had missed the event was very distressing. I did not receive a phone call or mail summoning me to court, so I'm quite confused about where I stand legally, when I am supposed to go to court, and where I am supposed to go. Hopefully, not to jail for the fourth time.

I also went at noon this day to clarify things. Unfortunately, I went to the wrong building, and now all cases, criminal or civil, will be in the high court building. This is the letter of apology that I submitted to the court on Monday, July 8, at noon. It was a mind-numbingly tedious three hours of confusion, to say the least.

Dear Honorable Judge,

My name is Ross Cline, and I am writing this letter to sincerely apologize for missing our scheduled court date on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at 11 AM. If this was indeed a missed date, I deeply regret the oversight and wish to explain my situation.

As a foreigner with a limited understanding of the legal system here, I find the entire situation perplexing and challenging. Over the past four years, I have been worried about legal actions stemming from my former landlord. These cases have caused significant stress and confusion, especially given my limited ability to understand the legal documents and processes involved.

My friend Linda Gail Arrigo, who is knowledgeable in local legal matters, mentioned that defamation laws are undergoing amendments in Taipei. My landlord is demanding $100,000 for emotional damages, yet when anyone searches my company name online in Chinese, they see court and legal battles. If this is truly about defamation, I kindly ask the court to consider: who has truly been defamed here?

Additionally, I would have expected to be informed if I had missed such an important date. I assure you that my confusion about the correct building and timing was genuine. I have often relied on my Taiwanese friends for help, but after four years of dealing with these legal issues, many of them are no longer able to assist me.

It feels unjust for someone to use the judicial system in this way, leaving me without any legal recourse. This situation is extremely challenging to navigate as a foreigner, and receiving conflicting interpretations only adds to my frustration. I urgently need clear instructions on what steps to take next. I am deeply concerned about the possibility of another afternoon in handcuffs and jail, but my greater worry is how much more heartbreak this situation in Taiwan will bring me.

I hope someone will finally take heed of my plight and have the empathy necessary to end this ordeal so I can move forward with my life. A reversal of any proposed penalty would not fully address the fairness I seek, but it would be a significant step towards justice.

Thank you kindly for your time, and I hope this letter finds you well. I trust you will do what is right.

Sincerely,

Ross Cline 柯受恩
rosscline.com 
+886-975-474-889
iLearn.tw 
台灣台中市西屯區
大墩二十街118號5F-1 

There is a clear distinction between respect for a judicial system and undue attachment akin to Stockholm syndrome. I earnestly hope that by December 1, when I leave Taiwan for Christmas with my family, there will be sufficient reason for me to remain and continue living here. However, if the past three years are a precedent, my efforts to preserve what I have built since age 28—now nearing 43—demonstrate my genuine affection for Taiwan. The corrupt judicial practices in Taichung, much like the literal force that compelled my departure from Dadun 19th Street, may ultimately drive me out of Taiwan. This has been the most appalling and distressing reality I have ever faced, yet I will remain hopeful until the very end. Why would anyone choose to return to a country that has treated them as unjustly and unlawfully as Taiwan has treated me?
 

Video Evidence 

I later discovered that it was her husband who made that very scary phone call when it was revealed to me that his wife stated this in the police report. But wait, there’s more! Her husband inadvertently admitted to making the call in the farcical mediation video when he responded to overhearing me say, "That's the guy," by placing eight cell phones on the table and claiming it wasn’t him who called me. How did he know I was talking about a phone call just from hearing, "That's the guy"? As proof, this dimwit asked me to call the number from which I received the phone call, as if that would prove he was not the person who called. This makes no logical sense and suggests this guy could actually be dangerously stupid—wouldn't anyone think so? Maybe he is stupid, or maybe he is very sloppy or careless due to an expectation of impunity or protection from a corrupt justice system. I can't think of any other way to interpret this information, but at this point, both seem very likely, and I mean this with all due respect.