Court in My life

You don’t (or at least I don’t) often realize how important lawyers are to society until you see someone in court without a lawyer. It’s so sad.

You’re there for what is probably the most important thing going on in your life right now. You have rights but you don’t know them and can’t articulate them. And people speak all foreign language at you. And the other side, with their money and their resources, trample all over you. You can’t even articulate what they’re doing wrong.

I feel bad for the people with lawyers too, seeing their legal bills. It just never seems proportionate to the outcome they receive. Whether it’s having a criminal charge or citation dismissed, or having a couple more weekends of parenting time, or a successful merger of companies. The bill just always seems… disproportionate to the outcome they receive. Like, do I really need to pay that much for that thing to happen?

I feel bad for the lawyers too. They are educated. They are skilled. They are articulative both in writing and orally. They wear so many hats. They work so hard (hence the gigantic legal bills). And yet, their clients may or may not ever pay them off. Compensation is not certain.

But somehow we should be grateful that we have access to court anyway. It’s a fundamental right, protected by the Constitution within the meaning of the Due Process Clause (something like that. I can’t be bothered to look that up in my bar study outlines anymore). Without access to court, it’s a might-make-right world. In any dispute, the strong will overpower the weak.

In summary. It sucks not having access to court. It sucks having access to court without a lawyer. It sucks having access to court with a lawyer. It sucks being a lawyer. And somehow, the world keeps going round 🌎

Oh it sucks being a judge, too. Having to settle affairs that the people who are deeply involved in those affairs can’t even settle for themselves. Having to make decisions that people can’t even make for themselves. Having to maintain a squeaky-clean image and record (on top of all your extensive education and professional experiences) because how do you have the authority to send someone to prison if you yourself violate the law? Having to maintain calmness while people go ballistic in the courtroom (because the issue is emotional to them). It’s tough.

It doesn’t suck being a law clerk (me). Being a law clerk is great. I’ve got nothing at stake (although some would say that’s a boring life haha).

Last updated August 26, 2023