Court Visitation Assignment

Court Visitation Assignment

BUS 200 – Law & Society class
North Seattle Community College

Name:______

1. Visit a court, preferably in the Seattle-Tacoma-Everett region, and observe for an hour or so. During that time you might hear a short bench trial (i.e. a Judge deciding the case without a jury), or perhaps part of a jury trial (i.e. with both Judge and Jury), or you might hear pre-trial motions, or possibly sentencing for convicted criminals.

You might hear a contract dispute, person-injury tort claims, professional liability (malpractice) claims, property ownership claims (like an "adverse possession" case) or the whole range of criminal cases (from misdemeanors all the way to murder). You may want to hear two or three issues before you decide which one to write up for this project.

NOTE: Try to check in with the Clerk or Bailiff of the court before the Judge comes into the courtroom, or during a break. You may be able to ask them what kind of cases are scheduled that day. Although most courtrooms are "open to the public," please be very quiet from the moment you enter until after you have left. All persons attending court should stand when the Judge enters or leaves.

Name and Location of Court: ______

______

(example: King County Superior Court, K.C. Courthouse, Seattle; or
U.S. District Court, Federal Courthouse, Seattle; or
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, 315 Park Place Bldg., Seattle)

Judge presiding over the Courtroom: ______

(example: Judge Kathleen Learned; or Judge Barbara Rothstein)

Name of case you observed: ______

(example: State vs. Hillary Clinton; or Boeing Co. vs. United Airlines, Inc.)

Brief description of the case or matter observed:______
______
______
______
______
Anything you found confusing??______
______

(example: Small-claims action by tenant to get refund of rental security deposit from former landlord. The judge ruled that the landlord had to refund double the deposit because she did not give the tenant a written report within 14 days of the end of the tenancy. )

Were you able to see the conclusion of this case? If so, what was the decision?
______

If the case is continuing, when do you expect it to be decided? ______
(Check with the clerk or bailiff to find out how to get the decision when it is announced.)
______

Now, so you can get used to filling out "legal forms," please complete the following affidavit of attendance, to provide EVIDENCE of your attendance at the Court!

STATE OF WASHINGTON )
) S.S. AFFIDAVIT OF ATTENDANCE
COUNTY OF KING )

I, ______, hereby swear or affirm that I attended the court,
(print name of student)

and observed the action described in this report, on this ___ day of ______, 2000.

______
(signature of student)

Attested to by an official of the Court: ______
Signature

______
Please print name and phone number, or
"stamp" courtroom info - THANKS!!!