Criminal Justice Law: Internship Essay
Introduction
I am a law student taking criminal justice as a major in Law. As part of my graduation prerequisite, I should have a three-month internship at one of the school-selected place. At the internship place, Judge Andrew was to be my supervisor. This was my best time in history as I gained a lot of experience and made me admire my future career in law. Among the things I learnt were reasons leading to judge or magistrate’s ruling, what to look at when inside the courtroom and important code of conducts expected from me by my seniors and juniors outside the courtroom.
In my first days I was very terrified since I did not know any person within the courtrooms such that I was I had to wait for almost three hours before my supervisor, Judge Andrew turned up. It is from this that he saw the need to introduce me to his colleagues and other staff who really turned out to be the best and supported me throughout my internship period. From that introduction, I was able to join other judges and learn a lot from their sentencing. I cannot forget Judge Benson, who could invite me to his courtroom always he though I needed to hear about a case he was to handle then later would guide me on reasons why he had come to the judgments he made. Judge Benson was Judge Andrew’s best friend within the courtroom and from these two learned friends I was able to amass a lot of knowledge in my study field. With their support and help with their learning materials I realized that truly I chad chosen the best career path.
The one time I will never forget was a time my two judges were to head an investigation on corruption allegations and they said that I should go with them. It was a major case as it involved embezzling of almost twenty million dollars. The case took about three weeks to commence and I can confess that by the time it was starting, I really had gotten so much exposure to my study field such that I could making a ruling still being a law student. The two judges to me were experts on legal matters. This I saw as the best opportunity to learn their judgmental skills and their conclusions.
I also remember one afternoon when Judge Andrew called me to his office. He had adjourned a case for two hours and asked what sentences I would offer to the accused side. I was also to clarify on my view of the guilty side. I really tried my best to identify the correct answers to the right penalty for the guilty side. I was shocked because Judge Andrew only quoted a few lines from the law books telling me that in such a case the guilty man needed some medical checkup and thus would see a psychiatrist. The case was about a young man who had hacked his girlfriend to death and wounded his siblings at their home when the woman quit their relationship. It was a surprise that a similar case was an example given in our reading books back in school. I thought that there could be no such case but here I was …handling one…
Through the guidance of Judge Andrew, I learnt that there are many circumstances, which lead a person to committing crime. Many of the reasons are easy to control and avoid while others come because of self-defense. In such a circumstance, since there is a crime committed, it is therefore the work of the presiding judge to make a ruling. The ruling comes after an examination of the circumstances leading to committing of that crime. For instance, I attended a case in the premises where the accused had badly cut ad injured a person n a fierce fight. The judge dismissed the case on basis that the accused had attempted to stop the fight before happening but the accuser could not hear and he headed up getting out a bat in preparedness to kill. The accused, with his martial arts skills was able to snatch the bat and cause the injuries to the accuser. Judge Andrew had sad the accuser should pay for the damages caused because he was responsible for all the happenings. For that case, however, the accused requested the court to pardon the accuser from paying him since he had many injuries in his body.
My supervisor taught me that there are some people in court who despite being on the wrong side of the law play innocence and from their look, it becomes hard to know whether they are guilty or innocent. He told me in such cases the judge adjourns the case for some times or some days to look at the past records of both parties before making an amicable ruling. In such cases, the accused party should come for hearing on the judgment day. The judges also shown me the importance of evidences how to prove that evidence. In the examination of witnesses and their evidence materials and information is essential since there may be many false witnesses testifying in a given case.
My two supervisors: Judge Andrew and Judge Benson gave me many materials for further studies on various cases they had handled during their stay in the courtrooms. This further surprised me since not many of my colleagues had written materials from their previous semesters. The two judges were arguably the best-versed judges in the city from the many files I was to read. The files motivated me and made me desire to be like them soonest possible.
My career path is not a straight as many think; there are many risks present. These make it very hard to reach a consensus. Though many judges have taken the oath of office, many find themselves making biased rulings. A judge many manipulate a ruling outcome based on position of the accused/accuser, greed and lust for financial gain, dealing with relatives and close friends, and threats that may come outside the office. My supervisor was really a good mentor. He showed me the importance of making fair judgments once I get to that position and never long to get easy money. Judge Andrew gave me many incidents where people would come to bribe him with money to rule in their favor but turned all down. He advised me on benefits of transparency and fairness in giving justice.
In February 16 this year, there was a case of attempted bank robbery and was to be presided over by Judge Andrew in courtroom two. The case code was 201512/0052BR where the accused John Mavis went to imperial bank together with others, stole three hundred thousand dollars, and wounded some people present in the banking hall. Since it was only Mavis caught, the court had to remand him for fourteen days as the police department was searching for the other escapees. Mavis had pleaded guilty to the allegation and requested the court to pardon him but Judge Andrew refused. When the case was over, Judge Andrew told me that in such cases pardoning Mavis, then all the robbers should be present during the ruling. Pardoning him at such a time meant that others in the gang can seek forgiveness one after the other after the police catch them.
Ethics in the courtrooms and good language was Judge Andrews’s reminder. He told me of importance of decent dressing and general present ability to all people in and outside the court. Language to the seniors differed from the language used between colleagues. Emphasis on respect made me realize many things in life. People will respect you when you show them that you deserve respect always. Focus on and being a goal-oriented person means that one could go far. My supervisor encouraged me to ever venture in all situations that I admired in life. He told me to do everything passionately and give the best out of it.
His education and family background made me thank God for what I was. The reason why Judge Benson and Andrew were very close is that for many years on their lives they had gone to the same schools. Judge Andrew reminded me of his past life whenever he saw me despair. By them being Christians, they quoted the bible severally. Towards the end of my internship, I recall a divorce case where a couple wanted to separate because the man thought the woman was irresponsible. After the judge heard the case, he requested them to wait for a week before he could give the judgment. He also sent them to a marriage counselor who after talking to them made them change their decisions. Judge Andrew was from a humble background and he never wished anyone should pass through the pain he had passed through when growing up. Judge Andrew has passion for further studies thus are ever on researches comparing constitutions from different countries throughout the world. By his presence as my supervisor am grateful to all especially my professor and classmates as for making me realize my potential in service of all people within my country and the world as a whole.
