As I mentioned a few days ago, before I can be sworn in to practice law in Delaware, I need to complete a clerkship checklist. I plan on commenting here in the blog about a few select items on my checklist in the next few weeks before the swearing in ceremony. The first item on the list is "Attendance at one complete civil trial in a Justice of the Peace Court ."
Fortunately, before heading out to any old JP Court, I had the foresight to ask Larry which one I should attend. Most of the JP Courts only handle criminal matters, while JP Court #12 near Price's Corner is a civil court. Maybe they did that to trick the unsuspecting law clerks.
My first impressions of the court were how tiny it was and how cold it was in the courtroom. The receptionist told me that I could sit in the back of the courtroom which was about a foot behind the tables where the litigants sat. I was also struck by how informal the proceedings were. No opening argument, no introductions by the litigants or their lawyers. The judge simple started asking questions of the parties.
Pretty simple. It almost appeared to me like a mediation session with the judge playing the mediator.
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