Open Justice

Date: 28 February 2012 20:30:03

While playing about online as you do, I came across this website, for Open Justice week, which is trying to encourage people to blog, tweet and generally make aware to others what happens in court. It’s interested in giving people a flavour of what happens in court away from the high profile cases, to demystify the “bread and butter” of court work. In my opinion this is a great idea, as most of us have no idea what goes on in court. It is a mysterious world, which we are happy to never enter. The timing of this was great for me as this week I got to go to court as an observer. It was my first ever trip to court. It is interesting to see the dramas being played out in the corridors. Not knowing who the people are doesn’t stop it being interesting, are they waiting for their hearing, are they witnesses, are they connected to people in the trial? In the court itself, it’s a world that I don’t really understand. A world of formal words, of set procedures and a Sheriff in a funny wig. There is an accepted way of dressing, of presenting yourself if you are working there. It just felt like an alien, unknown world. A world with rules, which I don’t really understand, but accept that I have to abide by, when I am there. I am likely to get to go again somewhen so it will be interesting to see how my feelings change as I get more use to it.