All lawyers can agree that law school can be a grueling experience and studying for the bar can be downright painful.  Future lawyer take numerous courses on the law, legal analysis and trial advocacy. However, there are few if any courses on what really goes on in a courtroom….especially in criminal courts. Here are just a few:
1. The Courtroom Staff and Calendar Lawyers are like family…YOU ARE A GUEST.
Yes, they may not like each other but they have learned to work together to arrive at a common goal…resolving cases. The courtroom deputy wants to get the inmates in and out of court as soon as possible. The judicial magistrate wants to run an efficient calendar. The calendar district attorney and public defender want to resolve as many cases as quickly and competently as possible. The defendants all want to take the “early bus” home. So, what makes you think that you and your motion can monopolize courtroom time.  Remember, if you do not routinely appear in that particular courtroom then you will be treated as a guest. Being disrespectful, overly demanding or just plain annoying doesn’t do your client any good. In fact, you and your client will be talked about when you leave the courtroom. I have seen it time and time again. The next time the annoying attorney arrives in court, their case stays at the bottom of the pile, their client is last to be brought up, the offer becomes inflexible and an otherwise simple case becomes a pain.
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