Daphne B.

Barce April 17, 2017

Section 1E Basic Legal Ethics

To acquire knowledge, one must study; But to acquire wisdom, one must observe, as
what Marilyn vos Savant, the person with the highest recorded IQ in the Guinness Book of
Records, said.

It was Tuesday morning of the 14th day of March 2017. My friends and I visited Branch 8
Municipal Trial Court of Iloilo City, Sixth Judicial Region.

As a first-time visitor of a courtroom, we looked around and saw what it was like to be
inside such unusual kind of room. We saw two white calendars on the left side occupying half
the height of a wall and showing four consecutive months of a year, from February to May.
Indeed, time was of the essence for the speedy and efficient administration of justice.

There was a two-by-two poster of the Ecumenical Prayer for the courts on the right side
of the room. The plaintiff and his counsel were seated on the left side. The defendant and his
counsel were placed on the right side of the room. Both of whom were facing the table of the
judge. We could also see wall signs that said ‘Please turn off cellphones’ and ‘Quiet please.’

After taking a look at the venue, we proceeded ourselves to see what a lawyer dressed
like. A lawyer should observe and maintain the respect due to courts and judicial officers.
Counsels of both parties and representatives from Public Prosecutor and the Public Attorney’s
Office were well aware of that canon as they dressed in white long-sleeved barongs. Both had
brown and black attache cases. They wore shiny, clean leather shoes.

While waiting for the presiding judge, I thought that lawyers were not supposed to talk
to each other as their clients were fighting for different sides. This was what I usually saw on
television. However, I was actually surprised when they started gossiping about cases aside
from the one they were having as of the moment. The whole room was filled with the lawyers’
laughter and buzz sessions. As much as I could see, they were behaving like friends.

A lawyer should be mindful of the trust and confidence reposed in him by his client.
Despite both counsels’ clients were on opposition, lawyers still maintained that courtesy and
fairness towards their colleagues, more to a point that all we could hear were their energetic
conversations to each other. This scene was one thing I wish I could experience if I were to
become a lawyer present in a courtroom.

There was pin drop silence as the judge entered the room at about 9:30 in the morning.
Respect and honor were already present. In her table, we could all see a recorder on the right
side. A yellow pad was used by the court stenographer. I was actually expecting branded and
quality-made notepads. I was also wrong at this point. Simple things were enough for proper
administration of justice.
 For half a day, the judge presided over criminal and civil cases. We witnessed
arraignments for grave threats and less serious physical injuries for criminal cases. There was
also preliminary conference for damages. A compromise agreement also took place for
collection of sum of money with damages. We also witnessed the small claim case for sum of
money.

In line with the compromise agreement, the judge reiterated before the start of the
session and during the trial the amicable settlement between parties. I witnessed it live for the
first time that such mechanism was adopted to expedite resolution cases of disputing parties.

During the preliminary conference for damages, a young looking male lawyer
approached the presiding judge and requested that it be moved for another day as the lawyer
in charge for such case could not be present because of sickness. The first time I saw him I
already had the feeling that he was just beginning to build up his work experience in the
practice of law.

The judge insisted that both counsels would talk it over and not postpone it. I could hear
clearly from the start his trembling voice as he approached the judge, more so the moment the
judge insisted to continue. He kept on wiping his face as drops of sweat were all over. He felt
relieved the moment the judge decided to postpone it.

There’s always a first time for everything. It was reasonable on his part to feel that way.
If I were him, I could have done the same thing. I could also sincerely wish and pray in my mind
that the judge would reschedule it. I could not have been prepared. It would be all of a sudden.

However, it would not always be the case that one would be spoon fed. Preparedness
was expected of a lawyer. He should be ready at all times. The preparation might not be
perfect. But dealing with it could be an experience that could help us build ourselves in our
chosen career. As an African proverb would say, ‘For tomorrow belongs to the people who
prepare for it today.’

This one day experience had given me enough insights on what could be in it for me in
the future. This kind of chance made me grow a little more of what I had been reading in books.
It was beyond the four walls of a classroom.

At the end of the day, learning was not only about reading, memorizing, and
understanding. But rather, it was more significantly about applying it in life for a meaningful
purpose.