We were discussing the need to perform a ‘due diligence’ exercise today and I remembered that there is another meaning of the word diligence:

Diligence: n. A large stagecoach - French, from (carrosse de) diligence, speed (coach), from Old French, diligence, dispatch, from Latin diligentia, from diligens, diligent-, diligent.

So would a slow charabanc of lawyers be an overdue diligence?

No, maverick. The'd be guilty of undue delinquence.

But they would take a tort-uous route no doubt.

you are court-ing disaster, dixbey....

I thought his pun was quite appealing!

~ but would the route be writ'ten down before the process started, or would they judge that to be weighting the scales?