Crocodiles, a ship, wedding rings, houses and cars are just some of the items Denis O’Connor, sheriff of the high court, has had to attach from defaulting debtors.
When O’Connor as a 34-year-old attorney decided to include being a sheriff of the high court on his CV in 1980, little did he know it would be something he would do for more than three decades.
Now 70, O’Connor has hung up his gavel and Nomandla Ndabeni is the new sheriff in town.
Yesterday O’Connor spoke to the Saturday Dispatch from his Chiselhurst office where he still practises as an attorney, saying his job as sheriff was not one for the faint-hearted but “someone has got to do it”.
“We are all officers of the court working to ensure that justice is served,” he said.
O’Connor said he was lucky he had never had people pulling out guns or setting dogs on him when he tried to serve them.
“Litigation starts and ends with the sheriff because I had to serve people summons at the beginning of the case and sometimes would have to attach goods at the end of the case.
“People respond to your attitude when you approach them. You cannot be aggressive and you have to remain calm. Some people shout, others cry and others are happy to be served,” he said.
Going down memory lane, O’Connor said he once served a woman divorce papers and she smiled and said: “Thank you very much”.
In a separate case, an elderly man had been married to his new wife for about six to eight months but she had a dog that slept in the bed with her.
The husband asked her to keep the dog off the bed but she did not do so.
He then asked her to pick between him and the dog – and the new bride chose the dog. The marriage ended.
Cases that tug at the heart strings are insolvency cases where O’Connor had to attach and eventually auction off people’s goods because they simply could not pay.
“In those cases it is difficult not to find yourself having to counsel them. You have to tell them that this is not the end of the world. They just have to pick up the broken pieces of their lives and continue living,” he said.
“No matter the case, you must treat people with respect and dignity and they will reciprocate that. Also, one must never make it personal.”
O’Connor said he once had to attach crocodiles from a farm near Mount Coke.
The owner owed money to a supplier and the crocodiles had to go under the hammer. The auction was cancelled at the 11th hour when the owner made the required payment.
A ship once docked off at the East London harbour that owed money to a harbour in Ethiopia. O’Connor had to attach the ship and send it to Port Elizabeth.
“I put one of my deputies on the ship so that he could ensure they went straight to Port Elizabeth. I was left wondering what I would do if they threw him overboard or they simply went to Australia with him,” O’Connor joked.
After a long and illustrious career as attorney, sheriff and auctioneer, O’Connor is now slowing down but will not stop working. He continues practising as an attorney.
He thanked the East London public and attorneys for supporting him all these years – and is thankful that no one ever shot the sheriff.
No one ever shot at this sheriff
When O’Connor as a 34-year-old attorney decided to include being a sheriff of the high court on his CV in 1980, little did he know it would be something he would do for more than three decades.
Now 70, O’Connor has hung up his gavel and Nomandla Ndabeni is the new sheriff in town.
Yesterday O’Connor spoke to the Saturday Dispatch from his Chiselhurst office where he still practises as an attorney, saying his job as sheriff was not one for the faint-hearted but “someone has got to do it”.
“We are all officers of the court working to ensure that justice is served,” he said.
O’Connor said he was lucky he had never had people pulling out guns or setting dogs on him when he tried to serve them.
“Litigation starts and ends with the sheriff because I had to serve people summons at the beginning of the case and sometimes would have to attach goods at the end of the case.
“People respond to your attitude when you approach them. You cannot be aggressive and you have to remain calm. Some people shout, others cry and others are happy to be served,” he said.
Going down memory lane, O’Connor said he once served a woman divorce papers and she smiled and said: “Thank you very much”.
In a separate case, an elderly man had been married to his new wife for about six to eight months but she had a dog that slept in the bed with her.
The husband asked her to keep the dog off the bed but she did not do so.
He then asked her to pick between him and the dog – and the new bride chose the dog. The marriage ended.
Cases that tug at the heart strings are insolvency cases where O’Connor had to attach and eventually auction off people’s goods because they simply could not pay.
“In those cases it is difficult not to find yourself having to counsel them. You have to tell them that this is not the end of the world. They just have to pick up the broken pieces of their lives and continue living,” he said.
“No matter the case, you must treat people with respect and dignity and they will reciprocate that. Also, one must never make it personal.”
O’Connor said he once had to attach crocodiles from a farm near Mount Coke.
The owner owed money to a supplier and the crocodiles had to go under the hammer. The auction was cancelled at the 11th hour when the owner made the required payment.
A ship once docked off at the East London harbour that owed money to a harbour in Ethiopia. O’Connor had to attach the ship and send it to Port Elizabeth.
“I put one of my deputies on the ship so that he could ensure they went straight to Port Elizabeth. I was left wondering what I would do if they threw him overboard or they simply went to Australia with him,” O’Connor joked.
After a long and illustrious career as attorney, sheriff and auctioneer, O’Connor is now slowing down but will not stop working. He continues practising as an attorney.
He thanked the East London public and attorneys for supporting him all these years – and is thankful that no one ever shot the sheriff.
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