Building Bridges Instead of Walls
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Growing up, I lived a short bike ride away from my grandmother. An elementary school reading teacher, she was always a source of stability for me. When I would go to her with my problems – an argument with a friend, a disagreement with my mother – she would remind me to take a step back and try to build a bridge instead of a wall. With this lesson in mind, I do my best to have cordial interactions with everyone in the court system, though at times it can be trying. Emotions fly, tempers flare and the inevitable happens: defense attorneys become annoyed by prosecutors, probation officers are frustrated with judges, and we all suffer the effects of working within an adversarial system. A couple of weeks ago, we had our annual panel of speakers from the local juvenile courts in the seminar that I teach each fall. Judges, prosecutors and probation officers are invited to share their insights and experiences with our 24 third-year law students who defend children charged with crimes in delinquency court.