Is this real-world or exercise?

ATC: "We have a hijacked aircraft headed towards New York, and we need you guys to, we need someone to scramble some F-16s or something."
NORAD: "Is this real-world or exercise?"
ATC: "No, this is not an exercise, not a test."

Such was the response from the North American Aerospace Defense Command when it received the frantic but yet incredulous message from Boston Air Traffic Control on September 11, 2001. More shocking though:-

FAA CC: "Uh, do we want to think about, uh, scrambling aircraft?"
FAA HQ: "Uh, God, I don't know."
FAA CC: "Uh, that's a decision somebody's gonna have to make probably in the next 10 minutes."
FAA HQ: "Ya know, everybody just left the room."

This was the conversation between the Federal Aviation Authority Situational Command Centre in Virginia and the FAA Headquarters. CC-Virginia was overwhelmed and stunned by the ensuing events and when it tried to seek direction from higher Headquarters, the Operations Centre simply emptied itself. There was no leadership to take responsibility and nobody was willing to make any decisions...

"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing." --- Theodore Roosevelt

Lost in shift of office?

Neither the Defendant nor his solicitors or any other person on their behalf, has now, or ever had, in their possession, custody or power any document of any description whatever relating to the matter in question in this action, other than the documents enumerated in Schedules 1 and 2 hereto.

So what happens when the opposing side know of some unfavourable documents in your possession and demands that you disclose them?

Answer: Misplaced, given out, thrown away, destroyed or lost in shift of office.

Telling explanations born out of desperation. But nevermind the adverse inference as at times, there really are no alternatives but to filibuster your way out.