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COURT HOUSE VISIT, DELAND, FLORIDA

COURT HOUSE VISIT, DELAND, FLORIDA

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COURT HOUSE VISIT, DELAND, FLORIDA

My Deland, Florida courthouse visit was greeted by a sober and expectant atmosphere.

The significance of these institutions over the history of the United States cannot be

underestimated. While the police and correctional facilities remain relevant to the U.S. justice

system, the cornerstone of this system is the courts. Alongside legal action, the adjudication of

legal principles, benefits and rights are some of the courtroom daily activities that affect

thousands of Americans. From its Great British orientations, the courts have evolved to their

current eminence as one of the world’s best justice systems.

In my visit to the Deland, Florida court house, in noticed that the participants who are

observable in any United States court house include judges, juries, clerks, defendant, plaintiffs

and the public. The other conspicuous aspects of the courthouse that I observed include the

courtroom attire and etiquette, entrances, positioning of participants and the allowed numbers.

While these observations were limited to the Deland, Florida courthouse, they are common to all

courthouses in the country.

The positioning of the jury, in the jury box, and the clerk, with respect to the judge, was

one of the striking observations I made in the court house. While the jury sat to the right, the

court clerk sat to the left of the judge. The sitting position of the jury is usually determined by the

place where the prosecution is positioned. While the jury assumes an opposite position to that of

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the prosecution, the clerk sits adjacent to the prosecution. The reason why the clerk sits in this

position is to clearly hear and record what the prosecution has to say during the hearing. The

jury, on the other hand, sits opposite the prosecution in order to see the face of the prosecution to

help make up their judgement. This sitting arrangement with respect to prosecutions’ positioning

explains why the jury is seated to the right while the clerk is seated to the left of the judge.

During the courthouse visit, I noticed that there were 12 jurors. According to Rule 48, the

number of members a jury should have is a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 members.

However, the situation is bound to change in certain circumstances where the jury has less than

the recommended minimum threshold (Sixth Amendment, 1978). In the event that those present

for jury duty are less than 6, the court is not obliged to rely on their agreement. Such a situation

presents a constitutional problem since the defendant is denied his right to be tried by a jury as

stipulated in the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments.

According to Menard (2001), the responsibility of the jury is to “evaluate the

evidence presented and determine the truth to the best of their ability.” The jurors require no

special skills or education to assume their responsibilities. They have the right to know what the

case entails and the trial procedure. They are also bound by the law to remain within the confides

of the case and only discuss it when deliberations begins. In the event that a juror hears

something relevant relating to the case, they are allowed approaching the court and expressing

their concern or information. Other than the court clerk, judge or court officers, the juror is not

allowed to discuss such details with any other party.

I also noticed that the jurors composed of people who did not have a common racial,

educational or religious denominator. Unlike the judge who wore a prescribed robe, the jurors

did not wear unique attire. The 12 jury members are selected from a list of public applicants.

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Insert surname here 1 Name: Instructor: Course: Date: COURT HOUSE VISIT, DELAND, FLORIDA My Deland, Florida courthouse visit was greeted by a sober and expectant atmosphere. The significance of these institutions over the history of the United States cannot be underestimated. While the police and correctional facilities remain relevant to the U.S. justice system, the cornerstone of this system is the courts. Alongside legal action, the adjudication of legal principles, benefits and rights are some of the courtroom daily activities that affect thousands of Americans. From its Great British orientations, the courts have evolved to their current eminence as one of the world’s best justice systems. In my visit to the Deland, Florida court house, in noticed that the participants who are observable in any United States court house include judges, juries, clerks, defendant, plaintiffs and the public. The other conspicuous aspects of the courthouse that I observed include the courtroom attire and etiquette, entrances, positioning of participants and the allowed numbers. While these observations were limited to the Deland, Florida courthouse, they are common to all courthouses in the country. The positioning of the jury, in the jury box, and the clerk, with respect to the judge, was one of the striking observations I made in the court house. While the jury sat to the right, the court clerk sat to the left of the judge. The sitting position of the jury is usually determined by the p ...
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