Atrocious that such a trivial case cost you so much money that you actually lost (not strictly, but it must've felt like a loss).

My dad is currently suing has past employer (the state). It's taken two years so far and they try to screw him over in whatever way possible. Luckily the union is paying for his lawyer, so he doesn't really care.

As someone in his early twenties who knows very little about law, the way such cases go down is mind-blowing to me.