Do you ever go to see Justice "administered in public"?

Wolfe Tone

That is, do you ever take a wander into your local district or circuit courts, or pop into the four courts and watch trials, hearings etc, as is your right? Have you any interest in doing so?

I've an academic interest so I have been in to view legal proceedings a number of times and mostly its either empty or has a few people there who have a direct interest in the case.

So boardsies, do you ever go to watch the law at work out of idle curiosity or is the only time you see the inside of a courtroom when you or a family member gets charged for blasting a Garda with piss?

kfallon

No - I just sit at home watching old episodes of Rumpole of The Bailey instead, saves me a busfare tbh!

tricky D

Have been in the audience in 13 and 14 at the Bridewell a few times. A good bit of comedy gold in that circus.

padd b1975

Too busy working.

mikemac

I thought this was going to be about kneecapping

arybvtcw0eolkf

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

That is, do you ever take a wander into your local district or circuit courts, or pop into the four courts and watch trials, hearings etc, as is your right? Have you any interest in doing so?

I've an academic interest so I have been in to view legal proceedings a number of times and mostly its either empty or has a few people there who have a direct interest in the case.

So boardsies, do you ever go to watch the law at work out of idle curiosity or is the only time you see the inside of a courtroom when you or a family member gets charged for blasting a Garda with piss?

Nope.

Tbh I've always taken the view that there's enough misery in the world without having to go look for someone else's.

To me its a little too voyeuristic.

arybvtcw0eolkf

kfallon wrote: »

No - I just sit at home watching old episodes of Rumpole of The Bailey instead, saves me a busfare tbh!

I loved that series.

Alter-Ego

Can you just show up and get into view any hearing? I've very little to do on a Tuesday.

landsleaving

Only for college, it's a depressing thing to watch. Half the time the gardai don't turn up and the case is thrown out. It's a disgrace Joe, and all that.

landsleaving

padd b1975 wrote: »

Too busy working.

You must be so pleased with yourself for that contribution. Congratulations.

Wolfe Tone

Alter-Ego wrote: »

Can you just show up and get into view any hearing? I've very little to do on a Tuesday.

Yeah, you can head into any courtroom unless it has an "In camera" sign on the door.

padd b1975

landsleaving wrote: »

You must be so pleased with yourself for that contribution. Congratulations.

Thats just the way it is.

Helium

padd b1975 wrote: »

Too busy working.

Defence or Prosecution

mattjack

No, but I saw a joyrider get a belt of a baseball bat a few years ago in public.Turned me off baseball for life...

padd b1975

Helium wrote: »

Defence or Prosecution

I am afraid I work much harder than anyone in the legal profession could possibly fathom.

minidazzler

Lyle Flaky Iguana wrote: »

Nope.

Tbh I've always taken the view that there's enough misery in the world without having to go look for someone else's.

To me its a little too voyeuristic.

That's a shame, judges are some of the funniest people in the world, at least for non-serious crimes in the district courts.

mikemac

Judge Fahy of Galway, she makes Margaret Thatcher seems like a kind old lady

The tongue lashings she gives out :eek:

Loves to humiliate people
Sometimes it's deserved and sometimes it's just needless

We used to always read the court report in the Advertiser to see what rant she had this week, so did many Galwegians
If she was on boards she would be mod of Ranting and Raving

Jesus Wept

Rich, steamy bowls of justice.

Oranage2

I was in court a while ago for lets say research purposes,- anyway a lad was there for hitch hiking, another person got probation act for 3 offences all drunk and whatever and a lad was convicted for peeing and given a hundred euro fine. Another lad had 20 convictions and was there for assault and was given less of a fine than the pisser

HLecter

what a pisser.

mattjack

Oranage2 wrote: »

I was in court a while ago for lets say research purposes,- anyway a lad was there for hitch hiking, another person got probation act for 3 offences all drunk and whatever and a lad was convicted for peeing and given a hundred euro fine. Another lad had 20 convictions and was there for assault and was given less of a fine than the pisser

research purposes ....were ya handcuffed ?

wandatowell

The folks spent 3 days in Dublin last year and spent one day in that big court house near the train station. They loved it. Loved getting all the juicey details of the case.

Cant say it would be my cup of tea though

cruizer101

I've been a few times, first time it was a murder case and to be honest wasn't very interesting as they were just going into a lot of detail on some particular part.

The other time was just the district court far more interesting as the cases are only a few minutes long so you get to see the whole thing.

I'm sure if you had the time the murder cases could be interesting but just not worth it when only getting a snippet.

With regards to it being voyeuristic, I can kinda see your point when they are going into a lot of detail on some aspects of a persons life who may well just be a witness or is innocent, but at the same time I think it should be publically viewable.

papajimsmooth

I used to go watch the proceedings in the courthouse during the summer when i was younger, the courthouse was right beside the tennis court. Its great craic to be honest especially when the accused is blatantly guilty and they try to come up with some bs excuse, the judges and solicitors can be extremely witty. The cases involving some members of the traveling community can be hilarious aswell

Naomi00

I've been to a court twice just to watch, once in third year and once in TY.

The first time it was to the local court, it was kinda funny. There was a guy there in trouble for attacking someone in town and first he pretended he couldn't speak English (he could though) and then when the judge asked him who he worked for (as in name, company etc) he said 'my boss'. It's mostly a bunch of right eejits in there, and its often the same people all the time.

The second time was a murder trial in the Four Courts. It was interesting enough, the trial had been going on for ages but we heard most of the story I think. We saw photos of the crime scene too, it was a little bit creepy though. The man who was being tried played the whole can't speak English thing again even though he had a translator :rolleyes:

We left after a while though because some of us were falling asleep
I think we heard a while later that he was guilty, can't remember much else though.

Wolfe Tone

mikemac wrote: »

I thought this was going to be about kneecapping

Just in case you are wondering about the wording of the title, I was struggling to word it correctly so I went with a direct quote from the constitution.

cml387

Been on a jury once.

What struck me was,at least in the case we were involved with, how the whole thing seemed like a play, with barristers,Gardai,even the accused (he was a lowlife crim with numerous convictions as we heard afterwards) all playing their parts.

It's said that experienced barristers are frustrated actors and if you attend a court session you'll see how true this is.

I would recommend it if you are bored of an afternoon on any Thursday in any big town.If the flag outside the courthouse is flying and there are dodgy charcters in suits hanging around (solicitors and defendants) smoking ciggies then head on in.

G_R

I love going to watch court cases, but i feel kinda weird doing it. So whenever anyone I vaguely know has to go to court for whatever reason, usually motoring offences, I go with them, and convince them that they need to be there really early, just so I can here the judge ripping the piss out of the local town drunk lol.

Mickjg

Went to the court in Ennis one fine September Friday afternoon. Very boring. There was an interesting case involving an American who worked at immigration in Shannon who was there for some case about a dog either attacking him or his neighbour. One of them was found guilty and ordered to pay money to the other person who said they would donate it to charity.

The rest of the cases involved numerous travellers (a number of whom I recognised) not being tried and being told to go home or come back another day, followed by numerous driving offences, many of which were just thrown out.

Judge Mangan doesn't like to waste his time.

Dudess

No. Don't get why someone would just for the sake of it. Seems a bit smug.

southsiderosie

I don't think it is smug, especially if you have an interest in law. Plus the judiciary is a critical component of a democracy. I've always meant to go to a trial; when I went to college in Washington DC my friends and I were always talking about going to Supreme Court hearings, but we never got in line in time to get in for the most interesting cases. I do make it a point to read the Supreme Court's decisions for big cases though.

And, yes, I am comfortable with my nerd-dom.

Dudess

southsiderosie wrote: »

I don't think it is smug, especially if you have an interest in law. Plus the judiciary is a critical component of a democracy. I've always meant to go to a trial; when I went to college in Washington DC my friends and I were always talking about going to Supreme Court hearings, but we never got in line in time to get in for the most interesting cases. I do make it a point to read the Supreme Court's decisions for big cases though.

And, yes, I am comfortable with my nerd-dom.

Ah no, I don't mean people who are interested in law, but people who are just being voyeurs, especially in a high profile case.

Wolfe Tone

Dudess wrote: »

Ah no, I don't mean people who are interested in law, but people who are just being voyeurs, especially in a high profile case.

Sure do you not read about it in the paper, in an article written by a journalist who was there? Or see a news report about it?

Same thing really, there by proxy. Maybe its even worse as by buying the paper or watching the channel you are helping people profit.

Oh_Noes

The judge in Mullingar/Athlone/Longford is gas craic to watch. His name is Seamus Hughes and he's been in the papers for making silly suggestions about government policy in the last few years. So many inane, meaningless charges come up in front of him and it's obvious that nothing serious will be/needs to be done. So he does his best to entertain himself and make it more interesting than it is.

I'd definitely recommend attending for any budding law/media/creative writing student out there. Anyone can go in and sit for a few hours.

evercloserunion

padd b1975 wrote: »

I am afraid I work much harder than anyone in the legal profession could possibly fathom.

Probably earn much less than they could fathom too. WHA

evercloserunion

Dudess wrote: »

No. Don't get why someone would just for the sake of it. Seems a bit smug.

To learn about how our justice system works and to see it in action.

Me again!

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

That is, do you ever take a wander into your local district or circuit courts, or pop into the four courts and watch trials, hearings etc, as is your right? Have you any interest in doing so?

I've an academic interest so I have been in to view legal proceedings a number of times and mostly its either empty or has a few people there who have a direct interest in the case.

So boardsies, do you ever go to watch the law at work out of idle curiosity or is the only time you see the inside of a courtroom when you or a family member gets charged for blasting a Garda with piss?

Are people allowed into the special criminal court to see IRA scumbags go down? I've gone into the four courts in the past!

Pompey Magnus

Oranage2 wrote: »

I was in court a while ago for lets say research purposes,- anyway a lad was there for hitch hiking,

Hitch hiking? Is that illegal now or was he doing it on the motorway?

Sunnyisland

Been a few years but have attended many a court,Back then sitting in the public gallery you couldn't really hear what was being said between the defence/prosecution lawyers and garda /judge,Some of the judges were characters themselves and would know some of the defendants by the first name,But It was all a bit mumbled and them talking in a very punctuated english The only words you could hear then was the sentence and guilty or not guilty,hopefully its all got better now ?

tony007

padd b1975 wrote: »

I am afraid I work much harder than anyone in the legal profession could possibly fathom.

You mustn't know many in the legal profession so. I know someone who barely has a day off, often working into the morning to get things done

Sunnyisland

I might add,in the district courts anyway,The proceedings seem To be happening on a very different level to the defendants and they haven't a clue whats been said and only know when sentence is passed with a look at bewilderment on there faces.as in what did i do.

Scruffles

mikemac wrote: »

I thought this was going to be about kneecapping

same here,one is thoroughly disapointed.

the nearest thing have seen to it is every week when am going to horse riding [at a RDA/disabled persons riding school].
a lot of the volunteers are people on community service from the courts,but very few of them have ever taken it seriously-touching,staring and wolf whistling at the support staffs am with,skiving in the hay barn together etc.
they arent lesson volunteers though as they have to be qualified for that.


anyway,nice to know there are people who enjoy going to watch court cases- over here there are more people who try to get out of jury duty than wanting in.

Ellis Dee

I worked as an interpreter in Finnish courts for many years, which meant I sat beside the defendant. I remember one day back in the early 80s when I assisted with two cases. The first was a rape case, where the accused (a Nigerian national with one previous conviction) was found guilty and given a 10-month suspended sentence. The other involved an American who had cultivated about 10 cannabis plants for his own use. He got nine months custodial. 'Nuff said!

It is interesting that the law is being changed so that High Court and Supreme Court judges in Ireland will no longer be required to wear wigs. But the reform does not go far enough. I feel they should be required to wear large fuzzy orange wigs, big bulbous red noses, white makeup, loose chequered jackets and trousers and long floppy shoes. That would more accurately reflect what, in the light of their decisions, many of them are.;)

ILikeBananas

This is actually something that I've never thought of doing before. Now that the idea is in my head though I might just head along to see what it's like.

OutlawPete

Yes, when it's pissing down late at night, I drive up and sit out side Krystal and wait for everyone to leave so I can watch the fake tan flow down Harcourt St.

CrazyRabbit

Seen a non-English speaker convicted and sentenced even though they couldn't find an interpreter so that he could defend himself. OK, I know it's hard to find a translator for someone from Mongolia, but it still doesn't make it right. I spoke up to the Judge, but was quickly escorted from the court by 2 Gardai.

Back when I was 13, I brought a guy to court for assaulting me (with 6 of his mates). They left me needing a 1 week stay in intensive care in hospital. He walked 'free' with a 3 month sentence suspended for 1 year.

After both of this events, I have lost all faith in Ireland's justice system.