business law

courtroom_observation_report.docx

CourtroomObservationReport

University:___________________________________Name:_______________________________________StudentNumber:_____________________________Unit:________________________________________

Introduction

TherearetwomainsourcesoflawinAustralia,caselaworcommonlaw,basedonthedecisionsofjudgesinthesuperiorcourts,andlegislation,thelawmadebyParliament.BecauseoftheFederalsystemofGovernmentinAustralia,wehave:

1. Court decisions and legislation made by Federal Courts and FederalParliament,and

2. CourtdecisionsandlegislationmadebyStateCourtsandStateParliaments.

Judges are responsible for making decisions in court are critical to the systemachievingproceduralfairnessandinturnengenderingcommunitytrustinauthoritiesInstrumental in the process is the conduct of the Judge. Body languageandbehaviouralaspectssuchasvoice,neutrality,andrespectfultreatmentarecentraltohowthecourtsystemisperceived.

Judgesmustbeawareandpayattentiontocreatingfairoutcomes,theyshouldalsotailortheiractions,language,and responsesto the public’s expectations ofproceduralfairness.Bydoingso,thesejudgeswillestablishthemselvesaslegitimateauthorities;substantialresearchsuggeststhatincreasedcompliancewith courtordersanddecreasedrecidivismbycriminaloffenderswillresult.Proceduralfairnessalsowilllessenthedifferenceinhowminoritypopulationsperceiveandreacttothecourts.

( Court ObservationExercisev12017 ) ( 4 )

Aimsoftheobservation

Thiscourtobservationreportaimstohelpyoutounderstandthecourtsprocessandhowthemajorpartiesconductthemselvesincourt.

Task

YouaretovisittheDowningCentreCourtcomplexinLiverpoolStreetSydneyandobserveacourtcase.Youshouldthencompletetheattachedformandhandintoyourlecturer.

CourtVisited:
JudgeName:
CourtLocation:
Date(s)ofobservation:
Type(s)ofproceedingsobserved: Wasthejudgeawareofthisobservation?Yes	No	Unknown
Neutrality

Peoplebringtheirdisputestothecourtbecausetheyviewjudgesasneutral,principleddecisionmakerswhomakedecisionsbaseduponrulesandnotpersonalopinions,andwhoapplylegalrulesconsistentlyacrosspeopleandovercases.

TomTyler,“ProceduralJusticeandtheCourts,”CourtReviewConsider,forexample,whetherthejudge:

§displayedjudicialfairnessandimpartialitytowardallparties;

§actedintheinterestsofthepartieswithoutregardtopersonalprejudices;

§listenedcarefullyandimpartially;

§appliedrulesconsistentlyacrosspeopleandovercases;

§maintainedaneutraldemeanororexpressionwhileincourt;

§wasopen,clear,andtransparentabouthowtherulesoflawwereappliedandhowdecisionswerebeingmade;

§consistentlytreatedparticipantsequallyanddisplayedbehaviorappropriateforthesituation;

§wasunhurried,patientandcareful.

1. Howwouldyoudescribethis judge’s abilitytobeneutral,principledandconsistent?

Respect

Respectincludestreatingpeoplewell,thatis,withcourtesyandpoliteness,andshowingrespectforpeople’srights.

Providingpeoplewithinformationaboutwhattodo,wheretogo,andwhentoappear,alldemonstraterespectforboththosepeopleandtheirrighttohavetheirproblemshandledfairlybythecourts.

TomTyler,“ProceduralJusticeandtheCourts,”CourtReview

Consider,forexample,whetherthejudge:

§providedparticipantswithspecificinformationaboutwhattodo,wheretogo,andwhentoappear;

§treatedeveryonewithcourtesy,dignity,andrespect;

§maintainedappropriatecourtroomtone&atmosphere;

§demonstratedappropriateconsiderationfortherightsofallpersonsinthecourt;

§demonstratedanintentiontodowhatisrightforeveryoneinvolved;

§helpedinterestedpartiesunderstanddecisionsandwhatpartiesmustdoasaresult;

§usedclearlanguagewhenspeakingtojurors,litigants,witnesses,andattorneys;

§demonstratedrespectforpeople’stimeandacknowledgedtheirpatienceasneeded;

§demonstratedinterestintheneeds,problems,andconcernsofparticipants;

§seemedpreparedfortheproceedings;

§demonstratedappropriatebodylanguage(e.g.,eyecontact,facialexpressions,posture,attire);

§demonstratedrespectfulvoicequality(e.g.,pitch,volume,tone);

§clearlyarticulatedawarenessofthepracticalimpactonthepartiesofthejudge’srulings,includingtheeffectofdelayandincreasedlitigationexpense;

§clearlyexplainedthereasonsforhis/herdecisionswhenappropriate.

2. Howwouldyoudescribethisjudge’s respectforpeopleandtheirrights?

Voice

Peoplewanttohavetheopportunitytotelltheirsideofthestoryintheirownwordsbeforedecisionsaremadeabouthowtohandlethedisputeorproblem.Havinganopportunitytovoicetheirperspectivehasapositiveeffectuponpeople’sexperiencewiththelegalsystemirrespectiveoftheiroutcome,aslongastheyfeelthattheauthoritysincerelyconsideredtheirargumentsbeforemakingtheirdecisions.

TomTyler,“ProceduralJusticeandtheCourts,”CourtReview

Consider,forexample,whetherthejudge:

§allowedparticipantstovoicetheirperspectives/arguments;

§demonstratedtothepartiesthattheirstoryorperspectivehadbeenheard;

§behavedinamannerthatshowedthejudgehadfullyconsideredthecaseaspresentedthroughwitnesses,arguments,anddocumentsbeforethecourt;

§attended,whereappropriate,totheparticipants’comprehensionoftheproceedings.

3. Howwouldyoudescribethis judge’sskillatprovidingtheparticipantsavoiceintheproceedings?

4.Ifyouweretoappearbeforethisjudgeasalitigant,wouldyouhaveconfidencethatthisjudgewouldtreatyoufairly?Whyorwhynot?