A courthouse visit is an enlightening experience. Visiting the courthouse increases students’ understanding of the judicial system and process thus expands the classroom knowledge. The superior court of California handles appellate cases from the lower courts, murder, rape, and civil monetary cases. Based on the understanding of the type of operations conducted in the superior courts, it is possible to imagine the type of court atmosphere and possible personal reactions to a rape court case.
The general atmosphere in the superior courtroom environment is full of tension and anxiety during a court case. Before the proceedings, all the parties involved in the case including the defendants, plaintiffs, lawyers, jury, and the general public engage in meaningless chatter about the incident. The parties show different moods about the case, and the plaintiff is hopeful about winning the argument. On the other hand, the defendant is under a lot of strain due to the uncertainty about the judgment and how it will affect his life. The lawyers are smartly dressed; one in a grey shirt, grey pants, and formal shoes; and have solemn expressions as if preparing themselves for a fierce battle. The courthouse is filled by the anxious members of the public and press who are interested in hearing the case firsthand. The judge appears in the courtroom wearing the traditional black robes and takes his place at the big armchair behind the desk bringing with him a solemn mood. Everybody rises when the judge enters the courtroom, and suddenly everything is quite as the court procession begins.
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One of the most moving experiences in the courthouse is listening to the witnesses’ testimonies about the case. The prosecution invited the plaintiff, a young lady aged 20 years, to tell her side of the story. Her voice was shaky as she narrated to the whole courtroom an experience that she would like to forget, while everybody listens intently to her words. The plaintiff recounted how the defendant attacked her and proceeded to assault her against her will. The prosecution also called other witnesses including the medical professionals that attended to the lady after the rape and law enforcement officers that were the first to respond to the crime. The defense attorney was given ample time to cross-examine the witnesses with the aim of finding any discrepancies with their story. Interestingly, the defense attorney got the key witness to confess that she was in a romantic relationship with the defendant, and the discovery changed everybody’s mood in court.
Similarly, the defense team was allowed to present witnesses in the case. The court got to hear a first-hand account on the events of the case from the defendants’ perspectives, which was different from the plaintiff’s story. The defendant claimed that sexual relations with the plaintiff were consensual. Although the plaintiff had doubts about engaging in the act, she did not push him away; thus he was not guilty of the crime. I had not expected the court case to be so complicated and that the jury would be required to determine who was telling the truth between the two parties.
Undoubtedly, the rape trial was fair. The judge took control of all the proceedings and ensured that the defendant and plaintiff’s lawyers followed all the rules of conduct in the courthouse. Moreover, both parties were given ample time to interview the witnesses and argue the case in front of the jury. Court proceedings were recorded by a neutral party, thus eliminating all risks of discrimination and unfair treatment.
Personalities of the lawyers and their clients had a significant influence on the proceedings. The witnesses’ ability to maintain control over their emotions affected their time on the stand, and in turn, changed the length of the trial. Besides the jury was more engaged when the lawyers used understandable and straightforward language, and their interest was evident in their physical body cues like nodding the head or staring at a person during their testament. The lawyers spoke with authority during their presentations in the move to seek justice for their clients by convincing the jury that their clients were telling the truth. Undoubtedly, winning the jury was a priority for the lawyers.
Additionally, several strengths and weaknesses were observed during the judicial process. The strengths were the fairness of the process, selection of an independent jury, and adherence to court laws. On the other hand, the weaknesses were the inflexibility of the court system that limits the type of evidence that can be presented in the case and time constraint for hearing and making the final judgment of the case. At the end of the proceedings, the jury convened in a private place to deliberate on the issue and give an opinion on the case.
There was a mixed reaction at the end of the proceedings. The jury ruled in favor of the defendant, and the shock on the plaintiff was palpable. The verdict was made due to the plaintiff’s inability to provide convincing arguments in the case. Consequently, the plaintiff broke into tears, and it was difficult for her to hide her emotions. The press took many pictures of the plaintiff and defendant’s reactions to the judgment that would undoubtedly be printed in the next day’s newspaper.
Being in the judge’s shoe would be a challenging task. Commanding the respect of the people in the courthouse requires a lot of effort. Moreover, maintaining an impartial stance in the case is even more challenging especially if one has previous personal experience with such a case. Besides, handling all the interruptions and people’s expectations requires a lot of patience.
In conclusion, the court environment triggers a mixed reaction of sadness and happiness. The proceedings are done in a controlled manner as exhibited by the contact of the judges, lawyers, advocates and presentation of evidence. Also, the dressing code plays a vital role in enhancing professionalism and setting up of a respectful environment. The judgments are based on the evidence and personality of the parties during the case.
