October Post: Juveniles and the Law

         An important aspect of my research is always looking at original text but I also like to read about how the law affects juveniles. I've only ever seen one case at my mentorship that involved a teenager, but they weren't the one being charged. So, when I read about how breaking the law can affect teenagers it's especially interesting to me because it relates to my age group. One thing I found interesting was the fact that if a teenager has to pay a fine but can't pay it, a judge can give them county jail time or even excuse the fine. I got this straight from the California Penal Code which is used at my mentorship by the lawyers and judges.

Blog 8 - Research and Working EQ

1.  What is your working EQ?

         What is the best way to defend a client in a misdemeanor case?

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format. 

      The best way to defend a client in a misdemeanor case is to use a plea bargain with the prosecution to get a defendant the least possible offense, or also check for conflicts in the office. 

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ?

Criminal Law Handbook by NOLO. 

4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you doing mentorship, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

Joseph Kang at the West Covina Courthouse, he taught me how to go through a case and I've witnessed him get multiple plea bargains. 

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

To get your idea approved now, please answer the following questions:

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

      I plan to do more mentorship, either with the West Covina Courthouse, or finding another private law firm to get a different experience. I am currently calling and searching for another mentor. In the 30 hours, I will try to compare my experiences to my research in efforts to make connections between the actual use of criminal law to the intent of the law itself as I learn it. As far as adding a dimension of creativity, the more time I spend watching cases and hearing about them the more knowledge I have about certain aspects of law. Cases can be so different based on the people involved, I feel like by experiencing more cases I will have more to tell about my topic. Especially because I'll be able to give examples to the laws I have learned. 

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

     I know that pictures are not going to be the best thing to do since most of the information is confidential. I was thinking I could make a "journal" of what I learned. The journal would be in greater depth than what I have on my hours log. A lot of the things I learned from mentorship was just through day to day experience and just reading the cases and watching what people in the office do. So, I was thinking a notebook or journal that had my questions or my input about cases would be something I could use to compare to my research as well. 

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

    Basically, every lawyer I have spoken to simply stated that they wish they had gotten hands on experience before they became a lawyer themselves. Since more experience was something they all wanted I think that's the main thing I could do outside my research. Essentially, what I feel is best is that I get the knowledge I need (research) and use it to understand the experience I get (mentorship). The more of an understanding I get, the more I'll be able to grasp the job of a lawyer under the overarching branch of my topic which is Criminal Law. Thus, letting me achieve an understanding of how the law is interpreted and used. Which essentially is point of my research.