When Brett Kimberlin went to court on Wednesday, he came out the loser. He had started the ball rolling by seeking a peace order against John Norton. At the end of the process, John Norton was free and clear, but Brett Kimberlin still had the peace order filed by Mr. Norton against him on the books. The expression hoist by his own petard comes to mind, and it fits especially well in this case.

You see, a petard is an explosive charge used to breach the gate or wall of a fortification. Back in the 16th and 17th centuries, a sapper would run up to the enemy wall, attach the bomb, and run away. If the petard’s fuze burned too quickly, the sapper could wind up flying through the air, thrown by the force of the blast—hoist by his own petard.

If the shoe fits, …

Tick, tick, tick, tick, …