LICUP, Kristine Felva P. e!tem"er #5, 20#5
Criminal Procedure (JD 205) Court $"servation% & 'eaction Pa!er
*!erience is t+e "est teac+er. - <+ou+ clic+/, t+is is one o t+e most amous ma*ims a"out learnin t+at, 1it+out a dou"t, rins true. Its !ro"a"l3 "ecause e*!eriencin a t+in ives lie to t+e 1ords 1e read and concreti4es t+e t+eories 1e learn in t+e classroom it !aints t+e !icture o 1+at is set out "3 our "oo6s. For t+e !ast t1o 1ee6s, 1e 1ere tas6ed to o on an adventure - to e*!erience 1+at it is li6e to "e in a courtroom 1+ile dierent criminal !roceedins 1ere +eld. &s an as!irin la13er, I "elieve it 1as normal to "e all idd3 a"out t+e activit3. Des!ite "ein nocturnal, m3 e*citement ueled me to et u! earl3 and o to t+e 7all o Justice. In t+e litiations Ive +ad t+e c+ance to o"serve, some cases 1ere more interestin t+an t+e ot+ers, some 8udes are sterner t+an t+e ot+ers, and some some la13 la13er erss come come more more !re! !re!are ared d t+an t+an t+ei t+eirr o!!o o!!osi sin n coun counse sels ls.. &s a student o la1, it 1as a t+rill to see +o1 la13ers carried t+emselves in t+e courtroom and to imaine m3sel a e1 3ears rom no1, 9od:1illin, to "e doin t+e same. $ t+e #; criminal !roceedins, I +ave considered some to "e standouts - some "3 reason o "ein m3 irst, ot+ers "ecause I ound it +avin more action t+an t+e rest. People v. Elma, et al. 1as t+e irst arrainment t+at I ever attended. I notice noticed d +o1, +o1, ater ater readin readin t+e com!lain com!laintt in nlis nlis+, +, t+e t+e cler6 cler6 o court court rela3ed t+e same to t+e accused "3 translatin it in
+e Jude t+en set t+e date or t+e !romulation o 8udment. I 1asn 1asnt t a"le a"le to real reall3 l3 conc concen entr trat atee on t+e t+e !roc !rocee eedi din n "eca "ecaus usee I 1as 1as too too !reoccu!ied o"servin m3 riend, Ku3a Jason, in action or t+e irst time. o ater t+at +earin, I a!!roac+ed and conversed 1it+ &tt3.
c+anced u!on &tt3. ?irasol and ound out t+at +is client, Pa8anto3, +as alread3 ironed t+ins out and reconciled 1it+ t+e victims 1+o +a!!en to "e +is 1ie and dau+ter, t+ats 1+3 t+e3 are no loner interested to !ress c+ares. 7e 1anted to +ave t+is !lea "arain so +is client ma3 +ave a s+ot to "ein allo1ed to o on !ro"ation. In People v. Aranas, I 1itnessed t+e !rivate !rosecutor said t+at +is client 1ill 1it+dra1 t+e com!laint 1it+ t+e onl3 condition t+at a !roo o t+e 1ritten a!olo3 made "3 t+e accused "e urnis+ed or t+em. >+e Jude ordered t+e !rivate !rosecutor to su"mit to t+e !u"lic !rosecutor, Prosecutor Icao, an &idavit o Desistance immediatel3 ater +e ets a co!3 o t+e com!romise areement so t+e latter can ile a ?otion to Dismiss "eore t+e court. >+rou+ t+is, I reali4ed t+at in order to save !eo!le rom 1astin mone3 and time and s!are t+e court rom urt+er doc6et:cloin, la13ers s+ould al1a3s o!t or amica"le settlement irst and onl3 1+en all ot+er !eaceul out:o:court means are e*+austed s+all t+e3 suest t+eir clients to "rin t+e matter to court. In People v. Teves, on t+e ot+er +and, t+e trial 1as !ost!oned "ecause t+e accused 1as not re!resented "3 a la13er. It a!!ears t+at t+e accuseds la13er maniested to 1it+dra1 rom t+e case "ut consent 1as not 3et iven "3 t+e accused. >+e Jude said t+at "ecause o t+is, +e is still t+e la13er o t+e accused in t+e e3es o t+e court moreover, t+e Jude no1 as6s or an e*!lanation rom t+e said la13er as to 1+3 +e s+ould not "e sanctioned and directed +im to secure t+e accuseds conormit3. +e t+en e*!lained to t+e accused t+at in vie1 o +is ri+t to +ave t+e assistance o counsel, t+e trial +ad to "e !ost!oned. I 1as in a1e o t+e Jude "ecause aside rom oo4in 1it+ "eaut3 and loo6in as i s+e +as +ad a drin6 in t+e Fountain o @out+, s+e 1as also ver3 luent, and !roessional 3et com!assionate, es!eciall3 to1ards t+e accused. +e +earin 1as or t+e Presentation o vidence in a case o +omicide. <+ou+ not as dramatic as 1+at +as "een de!icted in t+e movies, I ound t+is +earin t+e most e*citin. I li6ed +o1 la13ers o "ot+ sides came !re!ared. &tt3. ?anuel &r"on, deense la13er, nailed t+e +earin "3 destro3in t+e credi"ilit3 o t+e Prosecutions 1itness. 7is Auestions 1ere "asic, "ut +e maneuvered and se1ed t+em toet+er to reveal t+e anomalies in t+e 1itnesss statements. 7e raised t+e act t+at t+e aidavit o t+e 1itness 1as made t+ree mont+s ater t+e incident, to 1+ic+ &tt3. 7er"ert >imtim, !rivate !rosecutor, o"8ected, sa3in it 1as so "ecause t+e case 1as not iled until ater t+e la!se o t+ree mont+s and t+e iscal could not 8ust !reem!t. It "ecame a avorite most !ro"a"l3 "ecause "ot+ sides 1ere more interactive 1it+ eac+ ot+er t+an t+e rest and "ecause I 1ould 1ant to e*!erience "ein a counsel in a case as intense or even more intense t+at t+is one. &"ove ever3t+in, I learned +o1 im!ortant it is or la1 students to do court o"servation "ecause it is not onl3 1+ere 1e see t+e stories in our "oo6s come alive, it is also a lim!se, i 9od 1ills, o 1+at our tomorro1 mi+t loo6 li6e. B
