Court Observation

On Thursday November 7th, a friend and I went to King County Family Court on Jay Street. We asked the officers at the front desk where to go if we wanted to hear a court proceeding for a class, and we were directed to the 8-10 floors. After going through the metal detectors, I was asked about a suspicious electronic object in my bag which turned out to be my calculator, while simultaneously my friend was being asked about a suspicious object in her bag which apparently looked like a knife but it only a mini stapler. After explaining to the  Court officer on the 10th floor that we wanted to see a court proceeding that was “exciting” we were brought to the 8th floor into part 19 and waited very shortly until a proceeding begun. At 2:30 we were directed into the courtroom. At 2:32:52 Plaintiff Bawa and his mother entered the courtroom, Bawa was sworn in, and he stated his case. His reason for bringing his case was in July of 2019 his wife, the mother of his child, took their daughter to Sri Lanka. Three months later in September when the mother and daughter were supposed to return, the mother decided she wanted to stay. The judge asked if they lived together previously and he stated that yes they had. The judge informed him that he had the right to an attorney. P. Bawa then stated that he wanted to represent himself. The judge asked about his wages and told him that he was fit to have an attorney appointed him. Bawa was then escorted out of the courtroom to see if an attorney was currently available to represent him. The case ended at 2:36:13. The Court Officer then goes over the case with us. This case was  known as the Hague Convention.The Hague Convention provides an expeditious method to return a child internationally abducted by a parent from one member country to another. After finishing the report, my partner and I witnessed a man becoming loud with the other court officers in art 21 of the court. It was later explained that he frequently came to the courthouse. He came about his child by the ACS and it was under false accusations. 

 All in all my experience with the court was very interesting and gave me a better understanding of how court cases can proceed.