In Christchurch, a woman who purchased a dangerous vehicle from a registered dealer found herself caught between the spirit of consumer protection and the letter of jurisdictional law. Though Judge Mary Beth Sharp ruled against Alyson Bouffard on technical grounds—her $7,150 Volkswagen Beetle falling below the threshold for full appellate review—the judge made plain that the law's reach had fallen short of justice. It is a familiar human predicament: the machinery of remedy exists, but its gears do not always turn for those who need them most.