Criminal Trial Analysis

The field trip to the Provincial Court of British Columbia to watch real trials was an excellent opportunity to critically examine the individuals in the legal profession, the process, and the overall application of criminal offences. After watching some real trials I acquired a better understanding of the roles of lawyers in the court house; this experience assisted me in stepping away from the fabricated stereotypes of media. Both the crown and defence lawyers were very timid and reserved in their demeanours. This had shattered my expectations of lawyers being loud and exuberant, these individuals seemed exhausted and uninterested in the material they were working with. From the trials I had watched I did not seen any lawyer that was genuinely passionate and engaged in their case. Their was also a lack of preparation for the defence lawyers, especially in one case; the lawyer repeatedly gave the judge incorrect material, and was constantly looking at the judge for approval before going to his next point. However, the crown lawyers were more poised and appeared relaxed, they spoke with ease, but still I had difficulty in hearing them, especially since their was constant sideline conversation amongst those involved in the case. This laziness and inadequate preparation for cases is an injustice …show more content…
The judges knew what they were doing, and I was surprised that some would even draw sympathy for the accused while delivering the verdict to the case. Unfortunately, I did not witness any cases that had a witness, but I did sit in on a case for manslaughter. This case was entirely unique to me, since the accused was not in court, but instead appeared on a television screen. It was unsettling to be face to face with the accused, as typically in the courtroom back of the accused would be towards the jury and