Courtroom Observation

My understanding of the court system has changed almost weekly from the beginning of my semester. I do understand things that I never thought I would’ve have known or even cared about in the least. The book Courtroom 302 has brought an even different side of thinking into this. The book goes into detail about the criminal court in Chicago. He watches all of the actions and different trials that come and go in the courtroom 302. He presents many different cases throughout the book which gives more insight then just a single case.

The prosecution works to get their guilty verdict while the defense tries to help their clients with their verdicts. In court I listen to both sides argue the Innocence/Guilt of the young woman in question wanted on DWI charges. The honorable judge Pauline Hankins presides over the court and waits patiently for all the evidence to be presented. The prosecution and the defense are set on opposite sides of the courtroom while the jury box and the belief are set next to the judge. Judge Pauline Hankins is in the middle of the courtroom in front of the North Carolina State seal with an office on the right next to the witness stand. Everything that has been said in the court is added to the court record. The court record is a detailed document

As I entered the court, the trial has already commenced so I did not really know how a real trial started. I sat in the back where the public sits, facing the judge bench. The courtroom was cold and quiet. Especially it was very small, much smaller and less impressive than I expected.. Everyone was in formal dressing code. There were just a few number of spectators and family members in the court room. There was a clerk who was typing everything what was happening during the court time. Judge Krocker appeared to have things under control and had the proceedings moving forward smoothly. She was a very friendly lady with short blonde hair. She was listening attentively. She spoke clearly and distinctly so that everyone in the courtroom could hear. Samuel Gallegos is a white man about 5 '8 tall. He looked quite nervous while some police officers were standing behind him. From what I understood, this case was really happening back in 2014 and the suspect has criminal history relating to assault of child and another related case to this case. On my left hand side were the bailiffs while some others stood observed

* The author will determine courtroom groups, how the groups interact daily, and recommend changes to the groups. The author will also describe prosecutor roles and the cases he pursues. Finally, the author will elaborate on the funnel of criminal justice with the backlog among the courtroom group, the court system, give an example, and explain how to eliminate backlog cases.

At eight in the morning on March 18th, my classmate Hallie and I showed up at the Administration building to go see a criminal court proceeding. The trail didn’t start until 8:30 am but we both wanted to get their early to ensure that we got through security and

I think that the Loving cases was more about limiting the power of the state, when it came to regulating marriage. Then in the Windsor case I think it was about establishing that where state statute merge into the federal statutes. In the Windsor cases, Ms. Windsor and her partner where married in Canada and lived in New York. New York recognized their marriage. However, when Windsor’s partner died and left her money the federal government to 300, 00 plus taxes out of the estate. This happened because though the marriage was recognized by New York, it did not fall in line with DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act). DOMA defines marriage in federal law as ‘the union of one man and one woman.’ What I gathered from listening to the case was that if the state recognizes the

The criminal trial process is an interesting process that takes place in Courtrooms all across the United States and throughout the globe. This study intends to set out the various steps in the criminal trial process in the American justice system. A trial is described as a "legal forum for resolving individual disputes, and in the case of a criminal charge, it is a means for establishing whether an accused person is legally guilty of an offense. The trial process varies with respect to whether the matter at issue is civil in nature or criminal. In either case, a jury acts as a fact-finding body for the court in assessing information and evidence that is presented by the respective parties in a case. A judge presides over the court and addresses all the legal issues that arise during the trial. A judge also instructs the jury how to apply the facts to the laws that will govern in a given case." (3rd Judicial District, 2012)

I conducted my observation at the Regional Justice Court in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is located at 200 Lewis Ave. I was able to see the morning docket of the Honorable Judge Diana Sullivan, who happens to be one of four pilot judges for the new Nevada Pretrial Risk Assessment (NPR). I went on the morning of Monday March 20th, to observe both her 8am docket and her 9:30am docket. The 8am docket contained initial appearances and arraignments for the in-custody suspects. There were a few status checks and arraignments for out of custody suspects as well. The 9:30 docket was entirely out of custody and there were a few initial appearances and preliminary hearings.

On July 18th 2017 at about 3:30pm my classmates and I went to a felony trial at the Manhattan Supreme court. I attended the trial to listen and take notes for a class assignment. The presiding judge’s name was Justice Gregory Carro,

I visited Monroe County Court on March 30th, 2016. The court case was called, “Williams vs United States”, and Williams was being sued for possession of an unregistered handgun on September 18th, 2015. The court procedure started at about 2:45 P.M. when Judge Randall entered the courtroom. Upon entering the courtroom everyone present arose. After rising Judge Randall asked everyone in the courtroom to sit down, and the judge briefly overviewed the nature of the case.

On Thursday November 17th, 2005 we attempted to go and see a trial at the Oakland County Circuit Court. An attorney friend advised us to go to the Macomb Circuit Court that Thursday, but due to a scheduling conflict we chose to go the Oakland County Court. We were also advised to go around 1:00 p.m. because the court would commence again after lunch. We arrived to the court at 12:45 and after passing through security we quickly went to the fifth floor courtrooms to find a trial. Upon reaching the fifth floor we found that on that particular Thursday there were several pre-trials being held instead of a single trial.

On April 10th, 2017 I, Cherise Dugger, observed the proceedings of multiple criminal hearings in the Aztec District Court in the courtroom of Judge Bradford J. Dalley. It was here that I observed out of my element as a dance instructor and mother and became part of the audience of the court. Being unacquainted with court proceedings, I directed myself towards the back of the courtroom in order to gain a full perspective of the hearing.

For my observation, I chose to observe a civil case that had to do with a divorce. I did some research on the cases, and chose one that was similar to an experience I went through. My parents are currently separated, and my father simply refused to pay child support. He lives outside of the state, so it was hard for my mother to have face to face confrontation with him. She got tired of raising three kids on her own, and finally decided to take him to court. I was required to serve as a witness. This took place in 2009, so I was thirteen years old and didn’t really understand much of what was going on. I timidly walked to the stand and was sworn in. I then answered the questions the attorney asked me.

I went to the court on October 13, around 10:30. When I first walked in there were a lot of people there I wasn’t expecting that at all. Security was higher than at the magistrate court. There were attorneys there but they stand next to there defendants at all times since it was still assembly justice so the trials didn’t go on for days if the most for about 30 minutes. The first case I had a chance was already on its way so I don’t know how long it had been going on for. The defendant was wearing a dark blue jump suit. As well as he had some chains aournd his waist

So I went to the courtroom on Monday, I was planning to go to the criminal court but when I arrived I the GPS guided me to the civil court so I and two interpreter but I am so impress interpreter (Hannah) know everything I follow her where going to court criminal when I got there we have to go through the security and the building and I think because its not new and in a great condition like the civil court so when I got in I and interpreter went to the information desk get information about the court case that’s on, after that I went to a court room on the two floor department 26, the court room look same very different than my imagination I thought the court looks very old fashion with those European style decoration and uncomfortable seat like those in the church, but the court room I went to was actually very modern and the seat are soft not like the church style wooden seat, the court room was quite small I the it can only fit around few people according to my observation, so the judge sat at front and the jury is on the left and side and it has a small desk right next to the entrance for the police officer in the court and the judge ‘s seat and desk is high than any other seat and desk in the room. I and Interpreter sit back near door and I want thank to them note for me, I don 't understand court and lawyer was so fast speak but hard for me write notes then two interpreter willing notes share for me.