TULOD, Byron Jon A.

Practice Court 1
2016400264, 4-C Judge Selma Alaras

Reaction Paper: Court Visit

On November 16, 2018 was the date that I have found myself in a courtroom for
the first time. At first, I was so excited thinking that I would be able to apply what I have
been studying in law school and to witness how the judge will control the flow of the
proceedings as she rules on certain matters.

My group mates and I individually went to Las Piñas MTC Branch 124 presided
by Judge Lynette May D. Deloria-Manarang. On my way to the said court, traffic was so
heavy but I otherwise made it on time. Before I arrived at the court, I was expecting a
big and old court so that I would see it just along the road. Apparently, I somewhat got
lost and I had to ask people around where the said court was located. I was told by a
bystander that it was located in a commercial building while pointing thereat. I was a bit
of skeptical at first as I was thinking that the said bystander was referring to a place
other than the court I was looking for. To my surprise, however, when I entered the
elevator of such building, I found myself with random people and some armed
policemen therein. At this point was I already sure that the court was situated there
because it would be too random why there were some policemen in the said building.
As expected, the MTC was situated in the 3rd and 4th floor of such commercial building
where my group mates and I met. Armed policemen were scattered in such floors.

In the courtroom, aside from my group mates, I found the plaintiffs and
defendants seated separately from each other. There were only two rows and we were
seated at the second row while the both parties of the case were at the first. The venue
was only a small but new and pleasant-looking room where the facilities were new such
as the air-condition, the tables, and the like. There were tables in front of where the
Judge sits and we thought that it was where the parties would sit but we found out that it
was only for the court personnel. I was honestly expecting the court to be worse like the
other courts that my law school friends have visited but it was otherwise. Before the
proceedings started, I had a little chat silently with my group mates and eagerly asked
what specifically the cases were. It was a civil case for Unlawful Detainer and another
case for Small Claims.

When the Judge entered the room, everyone rose, just like in law school, and
started to pray. The surroundings became silent and solemn as the Judge started to
immediately proceed with the motion for execution in the ejectment case. The plaintiff
had already won the case and so it was very quick because the judge would only rule
the request for motion for execution filed by the plaintiff to enforce its judgement.

As to the second case, it was a Small Claims case. The Judge went out of her
seat to go down to the tables in front of her to talk to both parties at a face-to-face level.
We were told by the Judge that in Small Claims cases, it is usually the practice in order
to settle the dispute amicably without the intervention of lawyers. The value of the claim
was P6,000 and the Judge tried her best to mediate both parties. Fortunately, they
came up with the agreement where the defendant was ordered to pay the P4,000 and
the remaining balance to be paid after a week due to the insufficiency of funds of the
defendant. The costs of the suit was also raised by the plaintiff to which, as claimed by
the latter, she is entitled. However, the Judge denied it since it was not included in the
judgement.

After such proceedings and outside the court, the parties for both civil cases
were still there. We could feel the environment was very hostile. The parties were still
arguing notwithstanding the judgment of the court. As a result, the intervention of the
armed policemen became necessary in order to pacify things.

All in all, our visit was very eventful and fruitful as we were able to witness how
proceedings go in practice. We were able to witness how proceedings go in practice.
Ultimately, it has broadened our horizon as we were able to apply our knowledge in law
and we have become even more excited to become lawyers.