Lawyer turned down opposing counsel's request for a date, so he filed a ‘love petition’

We all must have witnessed Valentine’s Day proposals at some point, maybe even got one, but none can compare to the Valentine's Day proposal one man arranged — in court. A lawyer recently shared on X how an opposing counsel she works closely with asked her to be his date, and how her 'work-only' response led to a petition that read as if it belonged in court. The story was posted by Kia (@atty_kiaaa021) and has gained more than 442k views so far.

"So this guy I closely work w/ (opposing counsel, btw) just asked me to be his Vday date," she wrote. "I said I only entertain work-related concerns." Instead of letting the moment end there, he responded in his unique way. "So he sent a petition letter. HAHAHA," she added. She also attached a document with the post titled, "PETITION FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF AN INVITATION TO BE MY VALENTINE’S DATE," formatted like an actual court pleading. It identified him as the "Petitioner" and her as the "Respondent" and included numbered arguments supporting his request. One section stated that the "Petitioner is of legal age, emotionally available, and fully prepared to show up on Valentine’s Day with effort, intention, and dinner if necessary."

Another clarified that the invitation was filed "in good faith, without coercion," and with full respect for her right to say yes, no, or "let me think about it." The filing even included a verification page affirming that the statements were based on "personal knowledge, genuine interest, and good intentions." "Too cute not to share. Hays. Happy V’s Day, Everyone!" she said.

Part of what made the petition stand out was how personal and unique it felt. Psychologists have studied how "perceived partner responsiveness," the sense that someone understands, appreciates, and cares about you, affects relationships. A study published in 2018 in the Journal of Family Psychology found that perceived partner responsiveness reliably predicted not only personal happiness but also relational outcomes like closeness and satisfaction across large samples.

In another post, she provided an update. "An update no one asked for, but I’m sharing anyway," she wrote. "Did we go on a date? NOPE." She explained that both of them are representing clients who currently have a case against each other. "Conflict of interest and professionalism above all." Even so, the gesture did not completely end there. "But the flowers and books still found their way to me," she added. She attached photos showing pink tulips and a stack of romance novels, including titles by Lucy Score and Ana Huang. A handwritten note included a line that read, "Nonetheless, you helped ease the burden I’ve been carrying. And with that, I wanted to give you something to show my appreciation for you."

Many swooned over the unique proposal and suggested that Kia go out with the man. @policarpia888 said, "There’s nothing wrong with giving it a chance, atty. But your comfort comes first. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t push yourself." @bneutralwitch added, "Omg! Hahahah, love the creativity! If you feel comfortable enough, go for it!"

You can follow Kia (@atty_kiaaa021) on X for more updates.

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