Yep, that's why those lawyers get the big bucks, the longer they can delay something, the more they get paid. I'll bet if you offered a lawyer a flat rate to defend your case, you would get swift justice.
I'm not defending UP in this, but notice the amount of fine vs the actual cost of damage done and that I guess is because UP has deep pockets. A few years ago, two people set two fires here in Arizona that combined to create the largest fire here in history, some 500,000 acres. One set a signal fire because she was lost and got no jail time, no fine. The other guy set it on purpose since he was a volunteer firefighter, he was looking to create some extra work. He got a bit of jail time, but no fine. I'm wondering where's the justice here, UP had an accidental fire, even by neglect, it was a accident. Here we have two people who set intentional fires and they basically get off Scott-free.