A Glimpse into Our Judicial System: The Suffolk Superior Courthouse and Edward W. Brooke Courthouse
James Marshall
U07764358
A Glimpse Into Our Judicial System: Observations of Municipal and Superior Courts
The Suffolk Superior Courthouse and Edward W. Brooke Courthouse provided two distinct views into the judicial system. At the Suffolk Superior Court the defendant, Donald Williams, was on trial on charges of assault with intent to murder and aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, both felonies. Contrastingly, I viewed a number of arraignments at the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse where, among the charges, were larceny and assault and battery on an officer, both felonies. The Suffolk Superior Courthouse, being a superior criminal court, dealt with more serious crimes than that of the Edward W. Brooke courthouse, a municipal court. In addition to the differing severity of the alleged crimes, there were also a number of glaring disparities between the two courthouses; namely buildings themselves, the conduct of the personnel, and procedures taken.
The Suffolk Superior Courthouse is an older courthouse, built in 1893, and it’s aged showed, especially when compared to the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse. The exterior of the Suffolk Superior Courthouse was plain, red brick that looked weathered and worn. Likewise, the interior showed equal wear, with the benches inside the courtroom being scratched, chipped, and generally beat up from use. The courtroom itself was relatively long and narrow, with the audience far away from the judge. The room was adorned with wood paneling that, again, appeared old and worn. The Edward W. Brooke Courthouse appeared drastically different. Built in 2000, the exterior was a large, white-gray, stone building with an enormously tall slab of stone hanging over the entrance. Inside the courthouse appeared much different than Suffolk Superior Courthouse as well. The colors were much brighter, the furniture much newer, and generally seemed better maintained, understandably so as it is 107 years newer. The
U07764358
A Glimpse Into Our Judicial System: Observations of Municipal and Superior Courts
The Suffolk Superior Courthouse and Edward W. Brooke Courthouse provided two distinct views into the judicial system. At the Suffolk Superior Court the defendant, Donald Williams, was on trial on charges of assault with intent to murder and aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, both felonies. Contrastingly, I viewed a number of arraignments at the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse where, among the charges, were larceny and assault and battery on an officer, both felonies. The Suffolk Superior Courthouse, being a superior criminal court, dealt with more serious crimes than that of the Edward W. Brooke courthouse, a municipal court. In addition to the differing severity of the alleged crimes, there were also a number of glaring disparities between the two courthouses; namely buildings themselves, the conduct of the personnel, and procedures taken.
The Suffolk Superior Courthouse is an older courthouse, built in 1893, and it’s aged showed, especially when compared to the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse. The exterior of the Suffolk Superior Courthouse was plain, red brick that looked weathered and worn. Likewise, the interior showed equal wear, with the benches inside the courtroom being scratched, chipped, and generally beat up from use. The courtroom itself was relatively long and narrow, with the audience far away from the judge. The room was adorned with wood paneling that, again, appeared old and worn. The Edward W. Brooke Courthouse appeared drastically different. Built in 2000, the exterior was a large, white-gray, stone building with an enormously tall slab of stone hanging over the entrance. Inside the courthouse appeared much different than Suffolk Superior Courthouse as well. The colors were much brighter, the furniture much newer, and generally seemed better maintained, understandably so as it is 107 years newer. The