The Session Court

My mates and I went to the KL Session Court today. It’s my second time in a court. The first one was when I have to do a research on the local Magistrate Court for my project paper during my lower secondary days in Kedah. But this one’s different. It wasn’t for my case but it’s my friend’s. He met with this terrible road accident a few years ago and I think this is a case management hearing to seek for insurance claims.

We had few obstacles before we got into the right court. I’m not trying to be dramatic in all my entries but it really happened! Anyway, this is my blog! I can blog anything I like. OK, we couldn’t find any parking space at first so one of us(the driver) had to wait in the car. So I have to go with this friend and we were looking for court no 1. It’s not like we don’t want to ask the people there but they were all lawyers! We feel like we’re just nobody to ask them. We went to the Federal Court building(which reminds me of the Anwar Ibrahim’s fiasco) which of course not the right place but we asked the guard there. She then showed us the right place. By then we know that we’re looking for a Session Court.

But then again, we lost in a building full of numbered courts! We asked a policeman who then showed us to the right court. It was the first court we passed! The number on the door is 8 but we didn’t realised that there’s this gold-platted sign right above the door, hanging helplessly with a number 1 on it! By that time, it was already 10 am and he’s supposed to be there at 9! A lawyer in front of the court recognised this friend and asked him to go inside. It’s his lawyer and he don’t even know it!

For those who’d never been in a court before, it’s a custom for the public to bow before the judge when they enter and leave the courtroom. We took the back seat and wonder what next. His case has yet to be called and we just listened to whatever they do before the judge. I can tell that many of the lawyers were young and were picked easily by the judge. The judge was comical! He even reminded one of the young lawyers to do his research before presenting themselves in the court. There’s this case where the judge referred the young driver in this road accident as a kamikaze. And there’s this case where the lawyer informed the judge that his client is absent and the judge nonchalantly replied “It makes my life easier”! the way I see it, the lawyers were laughing stocks! It might not sound like it here but if you were there, you’d have a good time too.

All this while, I thought the courts were filled with serious looking people(spare Ally Mcbeals’ for that and put ‘The Practice’ in) who’s trying to turn black into white. Instead, they're just human who also get nervous on the stage,well, floor in this case. I myself saw this lawyer gripping and crunching both his hands on his back while arguing with the judge. I bet, his palms were sweating! I had wanted to be a lawyer since the Anwar’s Reformasi’s days with all the glamour being depicted by the media at that time but I guess there’s reasons why I did not. I might not be good enough to handle all the pressure. Well, you can’t get everything you want, right?

The lawyers only took a few seconds when the time came for my friend’s. They were like agreeing with each others arguments and the case was adjourned to next March. Outside the court, the lawyer explained to us that they’ll divide the money(large sum!) on a 50/50 basis. Now I know why the lawyers are filthy rich! OK, don’t sue me for this, please!