Instructions: Locate one of the following courts in Downtown Tucson and attend a hearing, trial, sentencing(s) or oral argument (the choice is yours) for at least one hour (or two).
The purpose of this assignment is generally to expose you to the workings of the legal system in the Tucson area.
Take notes on what you have observed and write a paper on your specific and general observations.
Format: Type your assignment and use full sentences rather than bullet points. In addition, keep the length of the summary to no more than one page. Use one-inch margins and 12-point font (single-spaced).
Content: Your paper should include the date & time of day when you observed the courtroom, the court attended, and if possible, the type of case, the offense, the parties involved, names of the attorneys, the judge who heard the case, or any other information about the case which you are able to obtain.
State briefly the facts of the case, and give a personal analysis of the trial, based upon what you have heard. Include your personal impressions of the parties involved, as well as the courtroom environment.
Any of the following courts, or those in nearby towns, will be fine for purposes of this assignment, however, I recommend the Superior Court:
Pima County Superior Court, 110 West Congress, ph.740-4200
Tucson City Court, ph. 791-3260
Arizona Court of Appeals, ph. 628-6954
Justice Court, ph. 740-3171
U.S District Court, ph.205-4200.
Information regarding court locations can be found online, or in the government blue pages in the phone book. You may need to make a call or two to find out what sounds interesting to you on the courts' calendars.
Grading: This Assignment is graded on your ability to follow all of the steps and correctly fill in the documents.