A day out in court

Brego888

Anyone ever done a voyeuristic tourist day out in a local district or circuit court?
I was just talking about a law lecturer I had a few years ago who said it was a great way to spend a day watching the random cases and odd balls of the world appearing in court.
She said it was better than a trip to the cinema and admission is free!

Warper

No but ya i say it would be interesting especially if it was a rape case

RoiSoleil

Went once with a school group. Very interesting.

michael999999

Warper wrote: »

No but ya i say it would be interesting especially if it was a rape case

Ya I'd say the victim would think its great craic altogether!

endacl

Warper wrote: »

No but ya i say it would be interesting especially if it was a rape case

!

:eek:

Warper

michael999999 wrote: »

Ya I'd say the victim would think its great craic altogether!

Would they though?

efb

Warper wrote: »

No but ya i say it would be interesting especially if it was a rape case

I think they are held in private?

eviltwin

Warper wrote: »

No but ya i say it would be interesting especially if it was a rape case

That would be your idea of a fun day out?

meoklmrk91

Warper wrote: »

No but ya i say it would be interesting especially if it was a rape case

WTF?

The Pheasant2

Sat in on a trial of a guy done for heroin possession, was really interesting, would recommend doing it

Warper

I was joking FFS, this is AH

Warper

Warper wrote: »

I was joking FFS, this is AH

Mod

No. That is NOT AH.

If you want to joke about rape, you can go to another website. Your jokes aren't welcome here.

endacl

Warper wrote: »

I was joking FFS, this is AH

Why do some people think the bit in bold is a license for ar5eholery?

Is 'FFS this is AH' the boards equivalent of 'my-hazards-are-on-so-I-can-park-anywhere'?

Yes, you do get light-hearted irreverent banter here. That is indeed the nature of the forum. What you posted though, was ar5eholery.

Now, just to be clear, I'm not suggesting for a second that you yourself are an ar5ehole. Just your post. That was ar5holey.

Nekarsulm

Can be most entertaining. Our local judge is a hair trigger lunatic type, once got a 5 minute tirade about how he was almost attacked on the bench (lad on trial launched a chair at him) and went on to detail how he (judge) needed therapy, and still wasn't right!
Later on that day a young lad was up for defecating on the street after a nightclub closed. When his lawyer pleaded that the lad was a student, and a conviction would cause harm to his career, the judge asked the lad he was studying, he replied "environmental studies"! Got a great laugh in court. (wasn't a joke either)

ButtersSuki

I wanted to go and see Bertie in the Mahon Tribunal but I couldn't take time off work. That was a brilliant comedic performance that I missed unfortunately.

Banjo String

I had a stint in one recently, lying fcuker of a Gard said I was using my phone when driving (honestly I wasn't)

Laugh was on him though, the dope couldn't even copy my surname from off my license correctly.


/ case dismissed. :pac:

smellmepower

Nah,jury duty was boring enough.

endacl

Banjo String wrote: »

I had a stint in one recently, lying fcuker of a Gard said I was using my phone when driving (honestly I wasn't)

Laugh was on him though, the dope couldn't even copy my surname from off my license correctly.


/ case dismissed. :pac:

Is that you, Prawo Jazdy?

:pac:

anncoates

Warper wrote: »

No but ya i say it would be interesting especially if it was a rape case

Wouldn't be in a district ccourt anyway?

Maphisto

Used to do it for a living. Queues of parents failing to send their kids to school, followed by - wait for it TV Licence non payers.

Never did seem a bit funny :eek:

Banjo String

endacl wrote: »

Is that you, Prawo Jazdy?

:pac:

He had me down as 'Banjo Strung' :pac:

endacl

Maphisto wrote: »

Used to do it for a living. Queues of parents failing to send their kids to school, followed by - wait for it TV Licence non payers.

Never did seem a bit funny :eek:

Sounds a bit too Jeremy Kyle....

eviltwin

I've done a few stints in the family law court and its depressing as hell, never been to a criminal court and not sure I'd want to really. I'm sure its very interesting on one level but as entertainment not so much. Usually someone has had to suffer for that case to get there so it wouldn't sit right with me. Its probably no harm to go and become familiar with the judicial system just in case you ever find yourself in it but I can't understand trial groupies who go to every day of a case.

Ice Storm

I'd be interested in doing this.

I served on a jury recently and whenever things started to get interesting, we were sent out! We were all pretty curious to know what was going on in our absence.

userod

Bring popcorn. Great craic watching all the scumbags and tinkers arguing and mingling with the judge and all the law graduates, who, in many cases have a soft spot for some of them.

suave.4u

Can we just go and sit and watch proceedings? is there a time the proceedings start?
Some background detail would be nice OP.
Maybe I will go and see one day. get some different perspective on things..

flutered

Brego888 wrote: »

Anyone ever done a voyeuristic tourist day out in a local district or circuit court?
I was just talking about a law lecturer I had a few years ago who said it was a great way to spend a day watching the random cases and odd balls of the world appearing in court.
She said it was better than a trip to the cinema and admission is free!

done it more that onece, there was a district court judge who presided near the high court in dublin who was renound for his ability to entertain the masses.

flutered

userod wrote: »

Bring popcorn. Great craic watching all the scumbags and tinkers arguing and mingling with the judge and all the law graduates, who, in many cases have a soft spot for some of them.

its not a soft spot, it is a financially soft spot, sometimes called free legaal aid.

anncoates

People are mistaking what district courts are like. It's just a load of dreary stuff like drunk and disorderly, traffic offences, minor assaults , criminal damage etc.

I was up in district court once and it was boring and depressing.

Brego888

suave.4u wrote: »

Can we just go and sit and watch proceedings? is there a time the proceedings start?
Some background detail would be nice OP.
Maybe I will go and see one day. get some different perspective on things..

I don't know much more than what I said in the op. That's why I asked for views!
As far as I know as long as you are there on time you can just go sit down the back and watch all day.

andy1981

I did Jury duty once. It was very boring. The case was a joke. The scumbag junkie was a dead cert to be guilty, we all prejudged her. After looking more closly at vidoe evidence she had clearly done the opposite of what she was in for. When the verdict came back she looked shocked, her barrister looked shocked (couldnt believe she won her case), the prosecution was visible shaken... The judge who slept for most of the trial gave us the jury filthy looks!!!
would try my best to get out of jury duty again, waste of time money etc...

Maphisto

suave.4u wrote: »

Can we just go and sit and watch proceedings? is there a time the proceedings start?
Some background detail would be nice OP.
Maybe I will go and see one day. get some different perspective on things..

Yep, in fact its a citizen's duty to observe our justice system. To see justice be done.

You can go and observe the majority of cases. Its a good idea to get in before the case starts or when there's a lull. Otherwise when you go in everyone looks at you - done that - if you didn't feel a twit before, you certainly do afterwards. There's usually an usher or messenger that will tell you when its OK to go in and where to sit ...

Muise...

anncoates wrote: »

People are mistaking what district courts are like. It's just a load of dreary stuff like drunk and disorderly, traffic offences, minor assaults , criminal damage etc.

I was up in district court once and it was boring and depressing.

I'll be called as a witness soon - hope it is boring and depressing as opposed to the fun and games I see outside the building sometimes. They really should just convert the car park into a giant boxing ring.

At transition year in school we were brought to the local courthouse to learn what goes on. It was an insurance case and we all thought yer man the plaintiff was a lyin' cheatin' no good scammer, and were bitterly disappointed that the solicitors didn't turn on him with Oscar-worthy speeches. Spencer Tracey fail.

anncoates

Muise... wrote: »

I'll be called as a witness soon - hope it is boring and depressing as opposed to the fun and games I see outside the building sometimes. They really should just convert the car park into a giant boxing ring.(

Boring and depressing doesn't exclude violent. :pac:

duchalla

One of the local scumbags was up in court a few months ago for fighting after a nighclub and a few other things. His case was called, solicitor stood up, gave his speil, judge asked was the man in court, solicitor said yes Judge, Judge asked for the man to stand up, no body stands up, que giggling from the mans buddies in the gallery, solicitor looks around searching frantically for yer man, no sign of him. "He was here 5 mins ago, Judge" says the solicitor. "Where is he now?" says the Judge. A voice for the gallery pipes up, "He's across the road in the pub havin a pint!" Judge sends a guard off across the road to bring him over. He comes over and nonchantly stands at the back of the court and leans against the wall.
The court continues, your man case is put back til the end of the court. About half an hour later, the Judge stops in the middle of a case, looks down at your man and says "What are you doing now?" I turned around and see your man making a roll up cigarette! Judge flipps, tells the guard to bring the man up to where the guard was sitting so he can keep and eye on him.
10 mins later, your mans phone starts ringing! Instead of turning it off, he goes to answer it! the guard snatches it off of his hand and turns it off. Judge goes nuclear at this stage, reads your man the riot act, said he was very close to getting a contempt of court charge added to the other charges he was facing.
You couldnt make this sh!t up! If I wasnt there myself to see it all, I wouldnt have believed it. His case was put back to the next court day, as his solicitor was waiting for some reports or something. T'was some carry on in fairness....

Maphisto

Duchela - I'm just amazed by the "very close to having contempt added ...."

What has anyone got to do to actually get banged up?

Miaireland

I was stuck observing court cases for a day as part of work recently. It was the district court. I can honestly say it was one of the most boring days of my life. It seemed to be mainly people who had been brought to court over non payment of fines. There were a view small claims as well but it was a very long day.

mailforkev

Went to the court in Dun Laoghaire twice when in college about 15 years ago. Two of the funniest mornings of my life.

As it's a minor court in a reasonably middle class area the calibre of criminal is ridiculously low so some of the excuses literally had people doubled over laughing.

I'd heartily recommend.

Lenin Skynard

I was in there once for a day, wasn't just a spectator unfortunately. Pretty much 90% of the cases were to do with drink driving or no tax/insurance and the excuses were always hilarious.

Surprising mix of people too, a few elderly farmers who'd been coached by their solicitors to say they'd a drink problem. One had pissed through the letterbox thingy out of his police cell. Also a good few lads in handcuffs there for minor assaults.

The judge was having a great time, lapping up his authority and constantly making jokes.

It's definitely worth going to have a look, very entertaining.

emo72

Maphisto wrote: »

Duchela - I'm just amazed by the "very close to having contempt added ...."

What has anyone got to do to actually get banged up?

Not having a TV licence is considered a serious grave offence. You will do some hard time for that bad boy.

Muise...

anncoates wrote: »

Boring and depressing doesn't exclude violent. :pac:

Oh noes! If I sing like a canary I'll be bludgeoned with navel-gazing singer-songwriters!

bear1

I'd love to sit in on the Banking Inquiry and have an AK47 with me...
But sure we'll leave that that to another thread

dutopia

Maphisto wrote: »

Duchela - I'm just amazed by the "very close to having contempt added ...."

What has anyone got to do to actually get banged up?

Exactly. Wouldn't leaving the courtroom and having a pint across the road be in contempt? Judges need to grow a pair.

Nemeses

I think watching Judge Judy would suffice!

Buzz Killington the third

Saw a great case once where some scummer robber a Garda's hat and his friend slapped some curry chips on the Gardas head. Half the room was holding in the laughter.

cowboyjoe

The one and only time (hopefully ever) in a court room and brush with law was after a college night out aged 18. I foolishly ended up in chancery st district courts with a mate after getting arrested for drunken antics. We were given the probation act and a deserved slap in wrist. The smell, the characters and atmosphere was awful - the dregs of society up in court (one dude still in blood splattered shirt) scared the life out of us. Not my proudest moment and I for one have seen how another side exist and never ever want to go back.

Bobjupiter

Warper wrote: »

I was joking FFS, this is AH

Stick to murder jokes.

foxy farmer

As a man said to me once regarding the court proceedings. "Twas like Puck Fair in Killorglin with Duffys Circus thrown in for good measure."

Bobjupiter

andy1981 wrote: »

I did Jury duty once. It was very boring. The case was a joke. The scumbag junkie was a dead cert to be guilty, we all prejudged her. After looking more closly at vidoe evidence she had clearly done the opposite of what she was in for. When the verdict came back she looked shocked, her barrister looked shocked (couldnt believe she won her case), the prosecution was visible shaken... The judge who slept for most of the trial gave us the jury filthy looks!!!
would try my best to get out of jury duty again, waste of time money etc...

What is the opposite of a crime?

Donkey Oaty

Bobjupiter wrote: »

What is the opposite of a crime?

Depends on what she was accused of doing.

For example, the video might have shown her repairing and exiting.

blaze1

Spent the morning there courtsey of the tv license man. Funny people with even funnier explanations as to why after getting a summons they still haven't got or made an effort to get a license.