June 01, 2006
Bar has other meanings?
My experience with Texas justice today has left me with a few questions. What the hell DOES 'bar' mean to lawyers, other than the one at which you drink? Harry, you want to chime in here? Maybe shed some light on the nefarious workings of legal system?
Another question... why do they not take breaks more often? I walked into the courtroom needing to pee but decided against it since I was pushing 20 minutes late. Surely, I thought to myself, they'll have a bathroom or a smoke break at some point. I could not have been more wrong. They made us sit. And sit. And sit. Asking enough questions for me to not only deduce the nature of the case, but develop an opinion as to whether or not the guy was guilty. The prosecuting attorney's were cute as hell but couldn't have been more than a year or two out of law school. I called them bookends because they seriously looked the same. Very similar dark suits, both white and both had very straight blond hair parted in the middle. I think they were both named Kristen (one spelled it Krystin, though).
The defense attorney I'll say nothing about other than a bit of advice... if you gain weight, get new clothes. All I'm saying.
As for the smoking, you bitches don't let us smoke in courthouses anymore and some of us NEED A FUCKING CIGARETTE. Yeah, I usually don't smoke during the day but today was special... it was end of month and to top it off I HAD TO DRIVE DOWNTOWN TO SIT IN A SELECTION POOL. Yay me!
At the end of it all, I wasn't selected. It was probably the first time in my life I was happy NOT to be picked for something.
Posted by mcblogger at June 1, 2006 12:33 AM
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Comments
The origin of the term "bar", as applied to the legal profession, refers to the literal structural bar or barricade that separates the courtroom audience from the area where the lawyers and judges sit. dates back to old England, when you had to have your barrister credentials in order to walk past the bar and address the court.
Posted by: Harry Balczak at June 1, 2006 05:22 PM
They should REALLY make that clearer.
Posted by: McBlogger at June 2, 2006 12:39 AM
When I gave tours of the US Capitol as an intern, I was also told in my training that the distance from the bar to the judges was originally just longer than the length of a sword. It sounds apocryphal to me, but interesting if true. Anyone have a source to confirm?
Posted by: Ramey Ko at June 2, 2006 02:47 AM
I guess guns kinda fucked that all up!
Posted by: McBlogger at June 2, 2006 09:48 AM
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