As the courthouse doors clanged shut, the plaintiff bar and our clients watched helplessly as civil trials were pushed into the unforeseeable future. A general sense of gloom descended upon us. Now what, we wondered.
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The clerk sends an email on Thursday. Our trial starts Monday. Or it is supposed to. This case has been scheduled for trial for over a year. But SNAP! Just like that. A criminal case pushes its way past us. This happens in November.
Fast forward. We are now set to start the same trial June 4. After a six month delay. Everyone is ready to go. Some of the witnesses have booked flights and hotels. But wait. SNAP! Just like that. We are bumped again. By another criminal case. We are now supposed to start this whole thing over again in October. Supposedly.
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We meet Dave the Bailiff first. Through emails. We are cooling our heels. Waiting to see if our trial will start on time. Instead of ignoring us, Dave gives us up to date emails. Plus he has a sense of humor.
We are in trial for three weeks. During this time we get to know Dave the Bailiff and his smile even better. But there's someone next to him up on the bench. Julie the Clerk. She seems quiet but it is all an act. She has a droll sense of humor. We like both of them.
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Most of us have no idea what the clerk and bailiff actually do. We suspect the Judge gives them instructions that they carry out. We tend to mix them up and view them as indistinguishable. But they are quite different.
In trial, the clerk is in charge of the physical trial exhibits and court documents. The bailiff takes care of the jury and courtroom set up.
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