Forensic Psychology-Court Observation Analysis Paper

Court Observation
The courtroom is this case is on the third floor. The two floors below contain offices for the county tax assessor, the clerk, and the circuit clerk, county-holding cells for prisoners on transfer, the county solicitor, and an office of the judge. Many family law cases take place in this courtroom. For instance, the last two weeks there has been a case involving contempt of court for refusing to pay child support and another on an issue concerning paternity case. The Magistrate Judge for these cases was Magistrate Judge Silvia Job. When one enters the court room the security guard, a tall plump African American man, advises people to remove items include mobile devices that could trigger a metal detector. After checking for any devices that could cause harm, individuals proceed to the courtroom.
The waiting area for criminal cases does not have as many people as those for minor offenses or family cases. Those waiting to hear these cases arrive thirty minutes before the commencement of their cases. The courtroom for this case was small compared to others in major cities. It has two big doors that are slide open to opposite sides. The seat for the judge is directly in front and it is placed higher above all other seats. To the right of the judge, there is the seat of the court reporter. Just before reaching the podium of the judge, there are two tables where lawyers sit. The U.S attorney sits to the right while facing the judge and to the left is the table for the accused and the representing lawyer or lawyers. The podium of the judge had two flags to the right, the United States Flag and the flag of the court.
On 3 March 2016, there was a case hearing of Gerald vs. the State. The case concerned a homicide, manslaughter, and murder where the accused allegedly harbored feelings of resentment and killed his fiancée while she took a shower. Gerald is a hunter; therefore, he has a gun license. On 2 November 2014, he shot and killed his fiancée, Naomi, in his home. Gerald acknowledge shooting her but he said that he mistook her for a burglar. The police took him into their custody and formally charged him with homicide. The court was in its final session and there were various witnesses, defense lawyers, the presiding judge, Judge Jennifer Ramires, and the U.S District Attorney. As the case proceedings began, the courtroom was full of people.
The Judge neatly wore her gown and she looked very young for her position. The U.S Attorney was a short brawny man. Accompanying him was a young woman; she kept fidgeting in her seat, a sign of nervousness. On the accused side, the defendant was a tall muscular man in his thirties. He sat between two lawyers. The one on his right was an African America woman, neatly dressed and she sat calmly with an eagerness to defend her client. On the left was a younger woman, she was a tall blonde woman, she looked ready and well-armed. The jury consisted of twelve members, they were five women and seven men, and they were of mixed race...