We had to sport that dignifying stance of a law student. Our decency and courtesy have doubled or tripled its form and showmanship. Kidding aside, we only have to bring ourselves in there, follow certain courtroom standard policies, and a little dress code too. So long as we don’t make too much noise, we are off the handcuffs and the scorn looks of the detained prisoners, as well as the prying eyes of the police officers and the terror nudge of our professor-judges.
This summer, we were set to accomplish 60 hours of court observation. I wasn’t quite sure then if the idea of it sounded like a treat but we were practically without a choice. That task technically is part of the requirements of the Practice Court subject in our fourth year. Yes, we were obliged to observe various courtrooms in Regional Trial Courts and Municipal Trial Courts. The task sure did gave us quite an idea how a typical courtroom in the Philippines is like, and how a typical day transpires inside the court.
A typical courtroom is indeed like a sala, that Spanish word for living room. No wonder it is referred to as the judge’s sala. Some of which we’ve visited are neatly clad and organized from the gavel’s spot to the end pew. Some have lockers where files are well-kept, while there were some who you could mistake for an archive section in a very old museum or library. There was one in particular we’d fondly call a kindergarten or prep classroom, with a pink bamboo bench in front, the row just next to where the lawyers are, and some cute decorations and posters all over. Another court had a collection or motorcycles in it, we would jestingly guess if those were for attached properties or just a hobby of the police officers. And that microwave near the judge’s desk, we couldn’t figure what really was that for. Yes, we were never really that observant. Whatever the courtroom looks like, we’d say it does speak much about the judge’s personality.
Furtively, we dare anticipate no less but to get to witness hard-core courtroom drama. Ergo, the ones we’ve witnessed were not made for Hollywood films. Not that we were desperate to witness one nor disappointed though because there where days during that 3-week stint which were quite eventful and exciting enough. I wouldn’t forget the day I sat beside an accused in a murder case. Later did I figure that the young man, looking like in his early twenties, beside me in that packed pew who I was stroking arms with, was the accused himself. I was too stupid then, but maybe just unmindful as what is characteristic of me, to notice the handcuffs on him and that yellow-coded shirt of a detained prisoner. While the medico-legal expert witness was testifying about how the victim could have been possibly strangled, I could care less making faces and whispering remarks on my classmate seated at my back. Only when she gave me that glaring warning look did I realize that the edgy young man beside me was the accused in that case. And so from then on, I had to learn to tame myself. I wouldn’t forget the stare he gave me at one point. In those uneventful sessions, we would often find ourselves giggling over some little or major bloopers --- from the judge’s scary demeanors, the prosecutors’ and lawyers’ weird antics, to the various faces and emotions of every witness who boldly takes the winess stand.
As was our objective, we had a take on the different courtroom processes: arraignment, pre-trial, trial where there is presentation of evidence or witness, promulgation of judgment, hearing on motions, amongst many. The new process, called a Judicial Dispute Resolution, which entails a practical way of resolving cases through mediation and compromise, is now being highly-encouraged and practiced by the courts. There were times as well when some of our professor-judges would take us to their chambers after the session to enlighten us on some matters.
The court observation activity didn’t literally give us a blast but it sure was a worthy venture for lawyer wannabe’s like us. We’d quite miss those friendly court personnel who kindly accommodated us during those visits, and who never tired in sparing for us those court calendars before we could think of taking them off the bulletin boards . Thus, the 60-hour task in a span of three weeks was a mission accomplished.
This summer, we were set to accomplish 60 hours of court observation. I wasn’t quite sure then if the idea of it sounded like a treat but we were practically without a choice. That task technically is part of the requirements of the Practice Court subject in our fourth year. Yes, we were obliged to observe various courtrooms in Regional Trial Courts and Municipal Trial Courts. The task sure did gave us quite an idea how a typical courtroom in the Philippines is like, and how a typical day transpires inside the court.
A typical courtroom is indeed like a sala, that Spanish word for living room. No wonder it is referred to as the judge’s sala. Some of which we’ve visited are neatly clad and organized from the gavel’s spot to the end pew. Some have lockers where files are well-kept, while there were some who you could mistake for an archive section in a very old museum or library. There was one in particular we’d fondly call a kindergarten or prep classroom, with a pink bamboo bench in front, the row just next to where the lawyers are, and some cute decorations and posters all over. Another court had a collection or motorcycles in it, we would jestingly guess if those were for attached properties or just a hobby of the police officers. And that microwave near the judge’s desk, we couldn’t figure what really was that for. Yes, we were never really that observant. Whatever the courtroom looks like, we’d say it does speak much about the judge’s personality.
Furtively, we dare anticipate no less but to get to witness hard-core courtroom drama. Ergo, the ones we’ve witnessed were not made for Hollywood films. Not that we were desperate to witness one nor disappointed though because there where days during that 3-week stint which were quite eventful and exciting enough. I wouldn’t forget the day I sat beside an accused in a murder case. Later did I figure that the young man, looking like in his early twenties, beside me in that packed pew who I was stroking arms with, was the accused himself. I was too stupid then, but maybe just unmindful as what is characteristic of me, to notice the handcuffs on him and that yellow-coded shirt of a detained prisoner. While the medico-legal expert witness was testifying about how the victim could have been possibly strangled, I could care less making faces and whispering remarks on my classmate seated at my back. Only when she gave me that glaring warning look did I realize that the edgy young man beside me was the accused in that case. And so from then on, I had to learn to tame myself. I wouldn’t forget the stare he gave me at one point. In those uneventful sessions, we would often find ourselves giggling over some little or major bloopers --- from the judge’s scary demeanors, the prosecutors’ and lawyers’ weird antics, to the various faces and emotions of every witness who boldly takes the winess stand.
As was our objective, we had a take on the different courtroom processes: arraignment, pre-trial, trial where there is presentation of evidence or witness, promulgation of judgment, hearing on motions, amongst many. The new process, called a Judicial Dispute Resolution, which entails a practical way of resolving cases through mediation and compromise, is now being highly-encouraged and practiced by the courts. There were times as well when some of our professor-judges would take us to their chambers after the session to enlighten us on some matters.
The court observation activity didn’t literally give us a blast but it sure was a worthy venture for lawyer wannabe’s like us. We’d quite miss those friendly court personnel who kindly accommodated us during those visits, and who never tired in sparing for us those court calendars before we could think of taking them off the bulletin boards . Thus, the 60-hour task in a span of three weeks was a mission accomplished.
