Whether it’s a speeding ticket, jury duty, a hearing for a claim, or signing marriage papers, many people go to court even though they are not in the line of law or di not commit any serious crime. Are you not sure what to expect? Here are some things about courts and hearings you may not have been told yet.
Court reporters aren’t your regular transcriptionists
Typing in shorthand to efficiently keep track of the words and actions throughout the proceedings is what court reporters do. In Phoenix, over 400 of these operators had to work with the massive number of caseloads within supreme, superior, justice, municipal, and appeals courts.
The integrity and interpretation of the case, later on, rely on the reporter’s work. This responsibility makes their role crucial during and after cases have been heard in the court. The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted their jobs as one of the fastest-growing in employment from 2018 to 2028, with a higher 7% than average.
You can do some of it online
Hearings, depositions, cross-examinations, and even testimonies can be done online these days. A lot of cases don’t take up room in the courthouse anymore because teams are choosing to save on time and resources this way.
This task can usually be done by using web tools to live stream the whole thing. It is even implemented in cases where certain key witnesses or members of the case are not present but still have to give their input.
Court etiquette applies to you, too
Of course, a lot of rules and regulations are put into place inside the courtroom. A stark number of people don’t know a lot of these rules because they think it is only reserved for those with active participation like the judge, the opposing parties, and the jury. However, even people watching need to follow protocol. That covers attire, standing up and bowing when prompted, and not consuming any food and drink on the premises.
It can take a long time before you even get to court
A lot of procedures are made up of filing, waiting, and falling in line to move forward. Hence, most of the time taken isn’t because of waiting for decisions to be made but going through the lengthy processes because of hundreds of other people and cases ahead of you.
Unless you have a lawyer who has smoothed out all the work, you should expect the waiting game and fill your time with other responsibilities in life. Even though some cases get tied up for a long time because of unforeseen derailments and such, it’s no cause to worry if you have a simple hearing or claim that takes a little time. Reach out to a lawyer if there’s a delay. There might be a holdup, or things are being kept at a slow pace.
Now that you have this information in your back pocket, you can traverse the landscape of courtrooms and hearings more effectively, hopefully as a mere bystander or for the greater good.
