Courtroom Observation Paper

I attended the District Court at 201 West Picacho Ave on March 7, 2011. I sat in on judge Mike Murphy's court. Judge Murphy started court promptly at 9:00 a.m. but before I got into the court I had to wait in a long line of about 30 people. then when I finally got to the court house door I had to go through a metal detector where I had to take off my belt and shoes and everything metal on my persons. Then I asked one of the officers working the metal dictator how I could ask to sit in on a criminal court that was going on this morning. She then directed me to court room four. I asked the bailiff if it was ok for me to sit in on court today for my criminal justice class, and if the case where criminal matters. The bailiff then told me that yes these cases where criminal matters and as long as I am quiet and obey the court house rules I was welcome to come and sit and watch the court proceedings. So I waited until the bailiff called everyone in and I went in as well and took a seat in the back row.

The first proceedings of the day was a case of minors in possession of alcohol, the bailiff called out the names of the defendant Nick M. ( I could not understand his last name.) the defendant t came up to the table before the judge with his parent. The judge then asks him how he pleas and he pleads guilty. then the judges say he has to pay a fine of $775.00 and do community service , as well as take a underage drinking class. The judge then stated that if Nick didn't complete any of the three conditions that there would be greater concusses then he hand the paper work to the court secretary and the defendant then sits back in the seats he was called from after dismissed by the judge. The next two cases are minors in possession as well and the judge hand out similar sentences that includes fines, community service and a underage drinking class.

The next case after the three MIP cases was an DUI case for a defendant by the name of Chris Thomas. The Bailiff called