Court Appearance
My first court appearance I experienced was at the Freehold Municipal Court. The court was filled with an abundance of people.While I was there everyone was sitting in the court room waiting for the judge and prosecutor to arrive and begin court. At the beginning of the court session, the Judge gave an opening statement explaining court procedures, the defendants' rights and such penalties that may unveil. As each case is called, the Judge will individually advise each Defendant of his or her rights. A case may be postponed to permit the Defendant to hire a lawyer. If the Defendant wishes to go ahead without a lawyer, the Judge will ask for his or her plea. If the Defendant pleads guilty, the Judge will ask questions regarding the offense charged to make sure there is good reason for the guilty plea. The judge sits in the front of the courtroom and the prosector is usually in a small room to the side. The judge is in charge in the courtroom working simultaneously with the prosector and defendants and plaintiffs. The judge decides questions of law and gives the jury any advice they need. After that the judge goes around calling names and has you walk up to a booth and confess weather your guilty or non guilty of the crime or summons you committed. Most of the complaints heard in a municipal court such as Freehold Municipal Court, are disorderly persons, or petty disorderly person violations. Which vary less restrictive punishments when the conviction is given. Disorderly persons offenses may have sentences for up to 6 months in a county jail while the petty disorderly may only have sentences for up to 30 days in jail. If a case is tried before a jury, the judge rules on points of law and gives instructions to the jury, informing the jury about the law that governs the case. If there is no jury, the judge determines the facts and decides the verdict finding of guilty or not guilty. In a criminal case or a finding for or against the plaintiff in a civil trial.