Mimi’s First Courtroom Experience

Yesterday afternoon, Mimi participated an exercise from Cornell Law School.  The purpose of the project is to help Cornell law students to practice their skills preparing for child witnesses.

 

This is an important skill for these future lawyers.  They need to effectively prepare for these child witnesses and yet be able to engage these children in the process.  During the process, they also need to make sure that important legal elements are met, for example, their witnesses’ credability to serve on the witness stand, etc.

 

 

Mimi and Ania arrived after school.  They both met their student lawyer.  They served as a witness to a car accident.  All details were sent home a few weeks ago.  We need to help our witness to “be familiar” with the important details and facts.

 

After meeting with their counsel, the girls sat in the court room and waited for their turn.

 

 

 

 

 

I have to say that I am very impressed with the resources available at Cornell.  This is one of the classroom (in court room style).  A faculty member served as the judge and will give immediate and individual feedback to defense attorney and district attorney (played by students).

 

Before they start, each one of them will set up the recording camera so that they can review after this practice afterward.

 

 

10 minutes before Mimi’s turn, she met with her attorney again to prepare for her testimony.

 

Something interesting happened:

 

The student attorney addressed the importance of truth and false — one of the important criteria that makes a child witness capable to stand trial.  Then he field the question to Mimi:  “Do you know where you are today?”

 

“Yes, I am at Cornell today.” answered by Mimi.

 

The student attorney smiled and corrected Mimi “Oh, No.  You should say I am at a court room today.”

 

I thought it was funny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was time for Mimi to stand trial.

 

 

 

 

The seat was adjustable, like an elevator.

 

 

 

 

 

The student started his recording.

 

 

 

And asked the judge (played by a professor) to approach his witness (played by Mimi).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mimi was sworn in — basically to promise that she will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

 

 

 

The the testimony started.

 

 

 

 

 

Mimi was asked to point at the diagram on the actual location of the victim, her vehicle, and the truck who hit the old lady.

 

 

 

 

The the defense attorney came up (played by another student).  He then started question Mimi for her testimony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the end, the judge asked if Mimi had any feedback to share with both attorneys.

 

She then gave these students her immediate feedback on how they treated the child witness,  and how Mimi was prepared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the end, Mimi was awarded with $10.00 for her service. But honestly, I thought that Mimi got a lot more from this experience. This is a first hand real experience in the legal system. What a career exploration opportunity!!

 

 

She said she wanted to do that again!! I am glad Mimi had a good time.