Ever find yourself in court and totally confused on where to go? I recently sent my law clerk to file a petition at the Juvenile Court in Orange, CA. Two hours later he called me frustrated and exasperated! While all he had to do was file a petition with the clerk, he ended up being told by 5 different people to go to 5 different places, until he found himself sitting for 45 minutes outside of a courtroom waiting for someone to finally review his paperwork.
What my clerk found out is something most attorneys already know, that the courts are confusing and daunting to those who have never had to deal with them. For instance, the Juvenile courthouse is a large building with over ten stories, and while there are generic signs directing you around, there is no one you can simply tap on the shoulder and ask for help. You are completely on your own! One of the best reasons to hire an experienced attorney is to make sure you don’t get lost in the morass of hallways and court rules that make up our local court system. Even if you think you can make a great case to a judge or jury yourself, make sure you hire an experienced criminal defense attorney so that you can get your day in court at all!