Watch Court Cases

[Clarita12345]

My son would like to become a lawyer. He will finish school after GCSE Exams around mid June, a month ahead of his sister. He would like to use the month in watching some court cases. How can he do that? We live in London.
Many thanks

Check at your local Court, he can probably just turn up and watch (this was a popular past-time when I was in Sixth form). If you get to know the clerk they will steer him away from unsuitable cases.

He could visit your local magistrates sessions, Crown court and the Old Bailey.
They publish cases to be heard on their websites (I think) and anyone can queue to sit in the public gallery. I went to a high profile case at the Old Bailey and had to queue from early in the morning but it is 't always like that and there are Crown Courts all over London and each has several court rooms. It would be good to go and look at the lists there and see a trial from start to finish.

Thank you mumytime & blu x

The courts all have public galleries except family courts. Pick a day and sit at the back of a magistrates court - it's fascinating

ds went to horseferry road magistrates court (not sure of its proper name) and southwark crown court on work experience and sat in on various cases - loved it

My dd is doing this tomorrow as part of a project. She phoned someone at the court and arranged a visit.

It's fairly easy to sit in the public gallery.

Years ago I took a group of teens on a 'Crime and Punishment' day. We visited the police headquarters first and did workshops with various teams/departments, then we spoke to a judge and sat in the public gallery at the crown court during a case involving three young men on a drugs charge. We stayed to hear the sentencing (a two year custodial sentence for a first offence) and later that day, at the end of our visit to the prison to do an ace educational workshop called 'Prison, me? no way!' the Reliance van arrived with the young men in it. The kids I had with me were blown away by how it all worked and that those men who had been free in the morning were starting their time in prison.

It was a total fluke that we managed to see the justice system at work so effectively. I couldn't have planned it any better if I'd tried.

Another thing your DC might want to do is look for a group that do mock trials. I did it years ago when doing my A levels. You get to learn all the protocols and procedures and have a go at playing various roles (prosecution, defence, usher, juror etc etc)

Thank you for the extra advice x