Courtroom Observation Essay

What is the extent to which anthropologists should become involved in, and possibly alter, the experiences of the people they conduct participant observation among (Burr, 2004)? In her article we find that burr was tasked with observing children who were categorized in living with difficult circumstances, such as those living on the streets, orphanages, or reform schools. Burr during her fieldwork encountered situations where she knew that the boys were partaking in illicit drugs such as heroin…

report on courtroom observation focuses on observation of Family Court of Australia. This is the first time of my life visiting to court and I went to Federal Circuit Court of Australia in Parramatta around 09:30 am. I walked into the building, not knowing where to go, what to say or do, or even how to dress. I asked questions what times and what cases would be best to observe? They could not answer any of those questions. I ended up taking the lift to the second floor to the Courtroom 1. The…

defining sociology, it becomes apparent that the social science is about observation. In fact, “sociology is concerned with problems of society, [and] to understand what sociology is about, one has to look at oneself from a distance” (Elias 1978:13). Thus, studying society in any context is best done when immersed in that culture. Specifically, the sociology of law focuses on the law in society; and therefore, observation of the law in use is likewise the best way to understand the culture…

interpret witness testimony (cite). Because several different methods can be utilized in the courtroom, this can create additional challenges in the courtroom. For instance, paraphrasing or condensing a speaker’s statements can create a disconnect between what is said and what is relayed during the interpretation process. Therefore, interpretation styles can become potential barriers to accessing justice in the courtroom. The issuance of protective orders is dependent on several factors…

my knowledge in the court system and how it works. I had previously observed in a courtroom for my Civics and Economics class in high school, but it was very basic. I went to the courthouse afterhours and completed a mock trial with other peers. Even though it was basic, I still had a lot of fun pretending I was on a jury and seeing the simple set up of a trial. Several years later, I was excited to see the courtroom live in action. Honestly, I did procrastinate going uptown to visit the…

. What are the implications of false or misidentification in the courtroom? An eyewitness picks the person that most resembles the criminal in a line up or pictures which may not be them. Sometimes the criminal that did the act, isn't even in the line up giving the eyewitness. This makes it very hard to identify the right man. This causes misidentification and in a courthouse could potentially put the wrong person in jail. Bobby Pool and Ronald Cotton have similar facial features. They both…

During my observations, I witnessed a few different steps in the adjudicative process. On the 2nd and 9th of February, I observed the Athens County Court of Common Pleas. The presiding judge over these cases was judge Pat Lang. This court system is for criminals who commit serious, violent or dangerous crimes known as felonies. I was lucky enough to come across all three of the different types of encounters mentioned by Maynard in week 3; judicial, negotiation, and public defender/client. I…

You can see many elements that are common to a courtroom such as, tables and benches made out of wood and are evenly situated among the room. The audience members are more than welcome to sit in the benches in the back facing the judge. There are also two tables and seating for both the defendant and the…

the possible lesser charge of assault. I only watched the second half of the court case. I will divide this essay of my observations into 4 sections: the overall procedures, the behavior of parties directly involved, parties indirectly involved and the physical environment of the courthouse to the contrast between reality and courtroom dramas. The overall procedures of the courtroom were similar to what was presented in the textbook but very different than what is seen on television. The court…

two common pleas court rooms along with two judges which include Judge Slagle and Judge Finnegan. I felt it necessary to observe both courtrooms of the courthouse to get the most out of this experience. Judge Finnegan’s courtroom was much larger than Judge Slagle’s but seemed to have been more out of date compared to Slagle’s courtroom. In judge Finnegan’s courtroom there was a witness stand directly next to the judge, a table sat vertically on both the left and right side of the room, and…