Volunteer notes
The 24-year-old defendant pleaded guilty to felony second degree assault for stabbing his girlfriend and misdemeanor violation of a no contact order. At the hearing, his probation officer said, “It [committing the crime] isn’t because he’s violent, he’s just immature.”
Today in domestic violence court, none of the attorneys could pronounce one defendant’s name correctly and made him repeat it several times. To me, it came across as disrespectful.
During a domestic assault hearing, the judge told the defendant that because he had already violated a no contact order issued by the court twice, he could not be trusted and would not be released from jail pending his trial.
During a sentencing in an assault case, the judge told the repeat offender, “While in jail, think about what you’ve done to the victim. Looking at your age, I’m wondering why you haven’t learned. You need to take responsibility for your actions. It is a good time to change. When you hurt others, you hurt yourself. Aren’t you getting sick of this?”
During a sentencing for a case involving assault and terroristic threats, the judge extended the no contact order for 17 months while the defendant is in prison. The defense attorney, who opposed the order, had stated, “The guy obviously can’t strangle her while he’s in jail.”
I was waiting in court for a hearing at the government center to begin and noticed the door to the judge’s chamber open and unguarded for over an hour. A deputy came into the courtroom a few times, but this seemed like a security issue. I have never noticed this happening in any other courtroom.
While describing court procedures to a Somali defendant who had an interpreter, the judge made sure to speak slowly, restate key concepts, and provide detailed information to ensure he understood everything that was going on.
Seven people were in the gallery waiting for a case to begin. Two attorneys were discussing a case, including personal information about the defendant’s finances and personal care needs, which everyone could hear. A third attorney came in briefly and made a comment about wanting to throttle someone.
A woman was in family court asking the judge to dismiss the order for protection she had been granted. The judge expressed a lot of concern for her safety and talked with her at length, stating twice that she could amend the order for protection and not dismiss it completely.
The judge in felony arraignments today told a defendant that if he didn’t like being in jail, he shouldn’t have had contact with his wife in violation of the court order.
Before the sentencing for a third degree criminal sexual conduct case, attorneys for both sides were chatting and laughing together. Family members who were sitting in the gallery were distressed that the attorneys appeared to be taking the situation too lightly.
During a hearing in a first degree criminal sexual conduct case involving an 18-year-old babysitter and younger child, the defense attorney tried to minimize the assault by saying the defendant acted inappropriately out of adolescent curiosity. He also said the defendant was babysitting against his will when the assault occurred.
The defendant was being sentenced for several different charges. Everything happened so fast that I was unable to follow it and had to wonder if the defendant was able to understand everything.
The prosecutor observed the defendant talking with the victim outside the courtroom in violation of the no contact order. The prosecutor asked the judge to have the defendant taken into custody, which she did.
