Charlene Edwards Honeywell, the presiding judge in the case, appears unwavering in her judgement. She rejected a portion of the lawsuit pertaining to Omid Scobie's book earlier this year, but she is still open to hearing arguments about the Oprah interview.
So, why is Meghan insisting on a Zoom appearance? One significant factor is her desire to control the narrative. Meghan prefers highly scripted interactions and is known to struggle with unscripted conversations. The courtroom setting, where the judge holds the authority, doesn't offer the same control as an interview. Moreover, her portrayal of a lawyer on the TV show "Suits" doesn't necessarily translate to real legal expertise.
Meghan's alleged tendency to be less than truthful and her wish to keep her sister, Samantha, from revealing any uncomfortable truths may also be motivating her preference for a remote appearance. Additionally, Meghan likely wants a record of the proceedings, possibly for her own purposes or to capture footage for potential use, such as in her Netflix projects.
As for Samantha, her goal might involve increasing Meghan's legal expenses, as all the lawyers involved would need to appear in court, incurring additional costs. However, the case itself seems to have limited merit and could be dismissed.
If Samantha succeeds, Meghan may be required to undergo a discovery process by January 2nd, involving the submission of private texts, emails, and relevant documents. A trial date has been set for July 2024. Meghan has previously been accused of sharing one-sided information to tarnish Samantha's image, particularly in relation to Omid Scobie's book, which Samantha believes constitutes defamation. While Meghan's behavior during the Oprah interview raised questions, her involvement in Scobie's book appeared to be more secretive and deliberate.