[yellowpaper]

My friend is going to court tomorrow morning (misdemeanor), and I'm going with her for moral support. I'm kind of anxious about it because I don't know what to expect. Is there any reason I shouldn't go? Will I need to sign in and stuff like that? I'm afraid that I'll suddenly be on some.. records or something, and contacted, or in some database, or something (which may be harmless anyways). I have no one else to ask.

 

[arthur56]

its quite OK to do this, ask someone where you should sit in the court, if you have SA then fortify yourself with enough benzos to make things easier, if you speak, remember to speak up

some deep slow breathing always helps to calm you

 

[zookeeper]

They won't even know who you are.

Unless by "moral support" you mean "horrific acts of violence and bloody retribution," in which case I would advise you sit this one out.

 

[mrfixit]

i can only tell you the process here where i live. i've had a few traffic tickets before. when i go i have to pay to park my car. i got in and police officers make you walk through a metal detector. once i get past that i find the court room number go in, sit down, and wait for roll call. after that they call people up in alphabetical order by 10 or so at a time to face the judge. here, since it gets crowded, they don't let people inside the court unless they got an appointment, so they have to wait outside. so yeah they won't know who you are if you don't have a court date.

 

[deeds14]

I work in a courthouse. You walk in and go through the metal detectors. At my courthouse you're not allowed to bring camera phones inside. Then you go sit in the courtroom. The clerk will come around and check people in. They don't care who's in the courtroom, as long as they know that your friend is there. Everyone brings a support person. If they do ask you who you are, you can say "I'm just observing." I bet your friend will be more nervous than you!

 

[yellowpaper]

Thanks a lot for the replies Feel a little better. And yes, she's inevitably more nervous, which is why I'm going!

 

[PickleNose]

Yeah. You'll be fine. Your friend will be the one under the microscope. I had to go to traffic court once. I felt like a felon. A friend went with me and I was so glad she was there. You're a good friend to go with them.

 

[deeds14]

How'd it go?

 

[yellowpaper]

Good She got her case deferred without probation or community service. The place was much less scary for me than I'd anticipated. I'm glad I came with her.