Court Observation

Summary

According to the online dictionary a courthouse is a building in which local courts of law conduct trials and other business pertaining to the justice system. As I entered the dull grey building my heart was beating fast and my adrenaline was flowing; I was feeling frighten as I walked through the swirling doors. It was my first time entering a courthouse and I was full of anxiety, because I had no idea where to go, who to talk to and how to get there. At the entrance of the building there were four officers present; one female and three males, security devices such as a metal detectors and an x-ray machines together with blue containers were used to put my personal items and check my body. This is done as a precaution against violence

I got into the elevator and came out on the third floor, it had a lot of people in the lobby of the floor. Some were dressed in navy suits with white shirts which indicated that they are the lawyers and the civilians wore causal clothing. The lawyers were busy with their various clients because they were either reading documents to the client or signing documents for the clients. I went into one courtroom and the only people there was a clerk and a police officer; the lady asked “how may I help you” I replied” I am doing a school project and wanted to listen to a case.” The lady told her name is Kathy and she is the court clerk and there was no case to because of

The officers to the entrance of the Criminal Court are more aggressive than the officers at the Supreme Court; however, in Criminal Court the setting is almost the same but the first row in the audience is reserved for lawyers only. One of the case I witnessed, was a nineteen-year-old male defendant who was charged with Stalking in the second degree and it is a class E felony. I believe the woman in the audience who was crying is his because when he entered he was looking at the audience and after the bailiff took him away the lawyer came and sat next to her and conversed. Another case was called and the defendant left their significant other and accompanied the lawyer into the ‘well’, all questions was directed to the lawyer and the judge asked only one question directly to the defendant. The defendant was required to answer ‘Yes’ or “No”; after his answer the judge told the lawyer about the next court date and both the lawyer and the defendant walked out towards the audience and the defendant hugged his partner. I believe most case took five to ten minutes to complete and the total atmospheres aggressive and fast paced. The defendant in most cases hang their head low, and was not looking directly at the judge until their lawyer give them a touch with his or her elbow. When I entered the courtroom I sat in the audience section, I had to turn my phone of or put it on