Bickering Barristers!

Yesterday was my first full day with my barrister. We traveled by train to Lewes, a town in southern England. It was a dreary day, but the town was still quite picturesque. I forgot my camera, but I'm probably going back next week and will take a few pictures for posterity.

During the hour-long trip, E and I spoke about the case and some of the preliminary matters that still needed to be hashed--DNA tests, prior convictions, etc. But the trial was still supposed to start. It didn't exactly turn out that way.

The two main barristers (mine is serving as the junior in this case) spent most of the morning bickering over the preliminary matters. Just when you thought they were getting somewhere, they would tell the other to "shut up" and walk off. Or one would change one word of what they were agreeing to, which would start the argument all over again. What made it all the more hilarious was that they are buddies from way back so they would be bickering one minute and joking around the next.

I got to visit our client a few times down in the "lock" with E. It was interesting to me that he visited us without any restraint. No cuffs, no guard, no pane of glass separating us. I never felt unsafe; he was perfectly nice to us. But I still surprised.

In the afternoon we finally got into the courtroom, where the two lead barristers continued their bickering. I was surprised how often our barrister interrupted the judge. When it was all said and done, the trial was pushed back a few days so that DNA testing could be completed. I did, however, get to see the jury sworn in. The look on their faces was interesting when told they were to hear murder trial.

In the end, I wish I had heard the openings, but after talking to H last night, maybe it's better I didn't. Opening statements are not time-limited in the UK. The Crown (prosecution) in her tax evasion case spoke for over 4 hours and isn't finished yet!

I will likely return to Lewes on Monday and see the Crown put on some of its case. The trial may even go into the next week.

Anyway, I'm off to the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery for the afternoon.

ETA: I saw the Globe results. Go Brokeback Mountain! I'm glad Hugh Laurie and Steve Carell won too.