Hot Bench Season 7 Episode 98 Pandemic Thwarts Addict's Recovery?

In Hot Bench season 7 episode 98 titled "Pandemic Thwarts Addict's Recovery," viewers are taken through a case involving a recovering addict named Sarah. For a little over two years, Sarah, who has a history of drug addiction, has been in the process of trying to turn her life around and find sobriety. She had been attending various Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings and had enrolled in counseling services in an effort to overcome her addiction.

Despite her progress, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, putting a hold on personal meetings, and Sarah was forced to navigate sobriety in isolation. During the early stages of the pandemic, Sarah found solace in discussing her struggles with a newfound friend, Brandy, who she met on social media. The pair frequently checked on each other's well-being and discussed their ongoing journey towards sobriety.

As the pair's friendship grew, Sarah began sharing some of her more personal struggles with Brandy, including her past experiences with drug addiction and her struggles to maintain sobriety. It was at this point that Brandy let Sarah in on her true identity, revealing that she was actually a journalist who was working on a story about people who have publicly shared their addiction and recovery stories.

Feeling betrayed, Sarah cut off all communication with Brandy and filed a lawsuit against her for violating her trust and discussing her private affairs in a public forum.

In court, Sarah admits to sharing her story with Brandy but contends that she never gave consent for her to use her story for public consumption. Brandy, on the other hand, claims that she had no intention of disclosing Sarah's story and only wanted to understand why she had become addicted and how she was able to recover from it.

As the story unfolds, Judge Acker, Judge Corriero, and Judge DiMango deliberate over whether Brandy's actions constituted a breach of trust, while also analyzing Sarah's willingness to open up about her personal struggles. Though Sarah is adamant that she never agreed to having her story shared in public, the judges provide some critical insight on how her sharing of her struggles could've been perceived as implicit consent.

Throughout the episode, conversations around addiction, trust, and privacy are brought to the forefront as the judges try to decipher whether Brandy's intentions were genuine or if she was merely using Sarah for a good story. The pandemic and its related impact on individual habits are also subjects of discussion, with the judges examining how isolation and lack of support can lead to setbacks in addiction recovery, particularly during a time when traditional support mechanisms such as AA meetings are not as readily available.

In the end, the judges strive to come up with a resolution that addresses both Sarah's right to privacy and Brandy's obligation to report on issues like drug addiction in a responsible manner. Overall, "Pandemic Thwarts Addict's Recovery" provides an intriguing look into the world of addiction and recovery, highlighting the complex issues surrounding trust, privacy, and the media.