Court observation – Aliya mondesir

April 27th 2023 at the U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York at Downtown Brooklyn

we saw two cases at the court. one called USA v Belliotti and another called USA V Acevedo. The first case we saw was a drug trafficking case. The second one we saw was a murder case involving gang violence. I found the second case (USA V Acevedo) more interesting. It surprised me how small details could make such a big difference in a case. One example is how the witness on the stand stated how one of the gang members’ chains were stolen, which led to conflict, and also stated how liking an Instagram post caused a violent ordeal. I also noticed a white board next to the witness containing many photos of men who are involved in the case as well. As I walked into the courtroom for the second trial, I felt the energy shift from the previous one. The second courtroom we visited had a more serious feel to it and many of the lawyers, judge, and jury looked more serious in the last courtroom. This trip definitely affected my view of the law a little. When I watch shows like Law and Order, things seem to be a little more dramatic but I’m glad I had the opportunity to see a realistic trial taking place.

 

Law in culture

The movie I chose is “legally blonde” a comedy romance released in 2001 by Robert Luketic. Its about a girl named Elle Woods, a wealthy, blonde sorority girl studying fashion merchandising at California University, is the protagonist. Elle is heartbroken when her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III (Matthew Davis), breaks up with her before leaving for Harvard Law School. Elle, determined to win him back, follows him to Harvard and enrolls in the law school, despite having no background in law and only experience with legal matters from the fashion and beauty industry. Initially, Elle struggles to fit in with her classmates, who are all serious and studious. With the help of her new friend, Emmett (Luke Wilson), and her bubbly personality, she proves her critics wrong when she excels in her classes. While defending a fitness instructor accused of murder, Elle uses her knowledge of fashion to win the case. She graduates with honors, becomes a successful lawyer, and falls in love with Emmett, who admires her for who she is, not just how she looks. The film portrays the legal system as flawed, with corrupt individuals manipulating the law for their own benefit. A good example is Elle’s ex-boyfriend Warner, who is more interested in his own career aspirations than in pursuing justice, and he is trying to manipulate her into dropping her legal case. Professor Callahan also exploits his power to take advantage of female students, highlighting the issue of sexual harassment in the legal field. It exaggerates and simplifies many aspects of the legal system for entertainment purposes. Although it touches on some aspects of the legal system, it is not an accurate representation. For example, the courtroom scenes in the movie are not exactly accurate, as they often depict dramatic and unrealistic situations that don’t reflect the actual workings of a courtroom. Even though the movie has some unrealistic and dramatic portrayals of law i did pick up on the important message of being true to oneself and not judging people based on their appearances. I would recommend this movie to someone who’s interested in pursuing a certain field but feels like they can’t because they don’t have the “look”. In addition, to women who feel undervalued for their skills and hard work.

Aliya’s timeskeeping post

How i spent my Monday 9am-10pm

  • woke up and did my morning face routine – 0.25
  • ate breakfast and had some coffee – 0.25
  • took a lyft to queens for my orthodontist appointment – 0.50
  • came back home – 0.75
  • study a bit for my midterm exam for civil law and procedure class – 0.25
  • took the exam – 1.0

My reaction – today was a normal day/Monday for me. Today was a little stressful for me to be honest due to there being traffic and having to make it on time for my test but luckily i made it on time. I was also worried i wouldn’t have time to study for the test as well.

Law in culture

The 2001 film “Legally Blonde” directed by Daniel Bradford is about a woman named Elle Woods who was dumped by her ex-boyfriend for being too “blonde”. In an effort to win him back and break the stereotype of the “dumb blonde”, she applies to Harvard law school and fights to become a lawyer. 

who i am

my name is Aliya Mondesir and I’m currently a first year at city tech. last semester i was a liberal arts major due to not being sure what major i wanted to commit to. I always found an interest in law so when i learned there was a law and paralegal program i became even
more interested. other than my studies i have many hobbies that include sketching, crocheting and playing video games. My goal is to achieve a career as
a paralegal and to travel the world.