SummersJobShadowingJournal

DayOne:11/2/15

TimeSpent:1:004:00(threehours)
Judge:JudgeFoley
Location:HamlinCountyCourthouse

MyfirstdayofjobshadowingwasextremelynervewrackingIhadnoideaI
wouldbesoscaredtogotocourt!Iwaspreparedandreadytolearn.HereswhatI
found:

Observations:
introducedtoimportantpeople:clerksoffice,judge,stateprosecutor,other
lawyers
touredtheHamlinCountycourthouse
satthroughmyfirstcourtsession
tooknotesabouteachcase
wrotedownquestionsIhadaboutcourtandlateraskedthelawyersabout
them

Reflection:
JobshadowingattheHamlinCountyCourthousewasmyfirstexperience
formyseniorproject.Idressedthepartandsteppedintotheclerksoffice
withananxiousstomachandasmile.Aftermeetingtheimportantpeopleat
thehouse,IfeltalittlemoreateaseIneverrealizedhowmanypeoplewere
partofthecourtsystem.Iwasexcitedtohearwhatthelawyerspreparedfor
eachcaseandhowJudgeFoleywouldreact.Whenthefirstcriminalcame
in,orangesuitandall,Igotalittlemorenervous,butafterhearinghewas
onlythereforamisdemeanor,Iwasalittlerelieved.Overall,Ihadagreat
dayshadowingandwashappytogetthefirsttimejittersoutofmysystem!

DayTwo:11/16/15

TimeSpent:1:004:00(threehours)
Judge:JudgeFoley
Location:HamlinCountyCourthouse

Observations:
Sawnewcases,includingcriminalones
Gottowitnessmyveryfirstadoptionverybestpart!
GottotalktoJudgeFoley
Wentbackwiththejudgeandthelawyersduringrecess
Askedquestionstothelawyersaftercourt

Reflection:
Myseconddayshadowingwentmuchsmootherthanthefirstday,which
gavemeanewconfidenceandexcitementaboutshadowing.Myvery
favoritepartaboutshadowingthisdaywaswitnessingapartofanadoption,
butitwasachangingofthename.Theadoptionwaswiththecutestgirland
herparentsandmademeseeawholedifferentsidetothecourtroom.
AnotherthingthathappenedwasthatIwasabletogobehindthescenes
duringrecesswiththeimportantpeopleincluded.Overall,Iwasreally
happywiththesecouplehours.

Daythree:11/17/15

TimeSpent:1:005:00(fourhours)
Judge:JudgeFoley
Location:HamlinCountyCourthouse

Observations:
Realizednoteverythingworksperfectlyduringacourtday(latestart)
Sawveteransincourtcases(learnedthedifferencestheyhave)
Metwithnewlawyersandlearnedaboutthedifferencesbetweendefense
lawyersandlawyersofthestate
Witnessedargumentativeconversations
Learnednewfactsaboutjuveniles

Reflections:
Todaywasalatestartwestartedanhourafterweweresupposedto,soI
wasabletodosomeconversingwiththelawyersthere.Ilearnedthatthe
reasonpeopleraisetheirhandsinthecourtroomwhenaskedforany
veteransisbecausethejudgeneedstoknowwhoservedtimebeforegiving
themasentencing.Iwasthankfultoseethatveteransaregiventhat
opportunities,thatthejudgeslookintothatbeforesentencingandthatthey
takepotentialmentalillnessesasaconsideration.Ialsosawmyfirst
argumentduringcourtandwasalittlebittakenback.Itwasgoodtoseehow
passionatelawyerscanbeabouttheirclients.

DayFour:11/18/15

TimeSpent:1:003:30(twoandahalfhours)
Judge:JudgeSpears
Location:CodingtonCountyCourthouse

Observations:
Myfirstjurytrial!
Witnessedcrucialquestionsaskedtothepotentialjurors
Sawtheprocessofchoosingthejury
Learnedthestepstakenbetweenbothsidesofthecourtroom

Reflection:
IhadSOmuchfunthisdaybeinginthecourtroomduringajurytrialwas
myfavoritedayofshadowingsofar.Iwassointerestedinthewholeprocess
andIwouldlovetobeapartofonesomeday,buthopefullyasthelawyer,
ratherthanthejuror.Itwasreallyneattoseethedifferentapproachesfrom
bothofthelawyersthestatewasextremelylaidbackandofferedasenseof
humor,whichIthinkhelpedthecourtroomsettledownandrelax,whereas,
thedefenselawyerwasextremelyseriousandseemedabitnervous.Itwasa
greatexperienceformeandshowedmeacompletedifferentsideofwhatI
hadpreviouslybeenshadowing.

DayFive:11/19/15

TimeSpent:1:004:00(threehours)
Judge:JudgeSpears
Location:CodingtonCountyCourthouse

Observations:
Iheardtestimoniesbybothparties
Wasabletoseethejurytakenotes
Sawtheemotionsinthecourtroom
Witnessedthewayajurytrialworks

Reflection:
TodaywasmyfavoritedayofshadowingIhadgoosebumpstheentiretime.
Thiscasedealtwithrape,soitwasintenseandtheemotionswerehigh.I
wassointerestedinseeingthelawyersgobackandforthandseethemshow
theirpoints.ItmademeemotionalseeingthefamiliesimpactedandIfelta
littlescaredsittingsoclosetotheoffended.Afterhoursofdebating,the
offenderendedupguiltyonallsevencountsinordertobefoundguilty,one
musthavea100countfromthejury.Thisdaygavemechillsandshowed
methemostseriouspartofthecourthouseIfeltverythrilledthroughoutthe
wholething.

DaySix:11/23/15

TimeSpent:12:304:00(3andahalfhours)
Judge:JudgeMeans
Location:CodingtonCountyCourthouse

Observations:
Witnessedmyfirstdrugcase
Sawtheroutineofhandlinghowtopleadguilty
Wasabletoseethewomangetfreefromjail(SOexciting!)
Heardthetestimonies
Sawthelawyerplacehisstatementsandtheroutinethejudgetakesafterthat
Sawmyfirstveteranincourt
Sawthedifferentflagsplacedinthecourtroombeforetheveterancamein
Witnessedthedifferencestakenplaceduringthiscasethanthelastone
Heardanewlawyer,Mr.Cummings.

Reflection:
Myfavoritepartofdaysevenwasseeingawomanreleasedfromhertime
spentinjailshehadpreviouslybeentherefor49daysandwasabletoplead
guiltyandgetreleased.Iwashappytoseethebetterendofthecourtroom
andthehappinessthatcanbefeltamongalltheterrorandsadness.Ialso
witnessedaveteranscourtcaseandlearnedtheprecautionsajudgemust
takebeforedealingwithaspecialcase,suchasthis.Oftentimes,veterans
candealwithmentalillnessafterbeinginwar,sothejudgemustkeepthat
inmindwhiledecidinghisorhersentence.Allinall,itwasavery
informativeday.

Dayseven:11/23/15

TimeSpent2:003:30
Judge:JudgeFoley
Location:HamlinCountyCourthouse

Observations:
Witnessednewcases
Wasabletotalktoclientsbeforeandaftercourt
Heardnewtestimonies
Sawtheroutineofhiringastatesattorney
Heardatranslatorandsawmyfirstspanishtrial

Reflection:
Mylastdayofshadowingwasslower,butIwashappytowitnessacouple
newthings.Aftershadowingtoday,Iwasintriguedbythestoriesthatgo
behindthemenandwomeninorangesuitsandhandcuffs.Atthebeginning
ofthis,Ialwaysfeltscaredofthem,butafterhearingtheirtestimoniesand
stories,Igainedanewperspective.AnothercoolfeatureIsawtodaywasa
spanishtranslatorandthecourttrialbetweenamanofanotherlanguage.
Therewasextratimebeforeandaftercourttoday,soIwanderedarounda
bitandgottotalktoacouplenewlawyersandaskthemabouttheir
profession.Allinall,Iamsuperhappywithmychoiceofshadowingthe
courthouse.

Conclusion:
Inconclusion,Iamextremelyhappywithmyshadowingexperience.I
learnedalotofimportantfactorsthatgointothecourthouseandsawhow
manypeoplethereareinvolved.Imexcitedtocontinuemyseniorproject
andlookforwardtolearningevenmoreaboutthedegreeoflawIamsuper
thankfultoallofthepeoplethathelpedmealongwithshadowing!