We were excited for the opportunity
to learn more about the judicial system this week with a visit to Superior
Court Judge Kitty Ann van Doorninck and her staff.
We got to see what a court room
actually looks like, and experience the view from the judge’s chair. Some students were surprised at the size of
the courtroom, expecting it to be bigger. We watched how a court reporter uses
a special type of shorthand typewriter to record every word said in court, so
that there is an accurate record of what occurred in case of an appeal. We sat
in the chairs of the jury in the jury box and also around the conference room
table in the deliberation room, and learned about how important it is for
people to serve on jury duty.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John
Neeb also came in to answer a barrage of questions about different types of
cases, levels of crimes, the difference between the prosecution and the
defense, and all the nuances of how a trial works. In their thank you letters,
students said:
“I learned that judges aren’t
always mean and {they} don’t bang their gavels a lot.”
“I learned that being on jury duty
is a lot more complicated than most people think.”
“I enjoyed learning about the
different people that work in the court.”
“I liked getting to sit where the
lawyer would be in front of the bar.”
