I was sued by the SEC in Federal court in 2003 and my trial was in June 2004. The final defendant in the case, who was tried separately, finished his trial in August 2006. I was not a participant in that trial.

I have been waiting since June 04 for the court to rule in my case. If the court finds for the defendant (me), I will be exonerated. If it finds against me, everyone will know exactly what minor part I did play and, more importantly, exactly what I didn't do. As it sits now, the burden of all the accusations, most of which the planitiff has admitted were false, remain against me.

I am being told that a judge can take as long as he likes to rule on a case and that I must wait until such time as he does. This seems patently unfair because as far as the public is concerned, I am guilty until proven innocent.

Somehow this whole process seems quite unfair. Everyone else involved gets to move on to new cases and new clients. With the government as the plaintiff, they doubtless haven't given this case a second thought since it ended. Yet here I sit, unresolved and branded, unable to do anything but hope that the court rules before I die of old age, a possibility that, at my age, grows closer every day.

Is this how it works or is there some requirement that a court has to rule on a civil case in Federal Court such as this within a certain time limit?

Thanks in advance for your comments and ideas.