 |  General Questions
 | What should I wear when I come to court?
Serious business is conducted in the courtroom. Dress for the occasion.
While we will not tell you what to wear, we will tell you what not to wear:
 | No shorts are allowed. |
| No hats in the courtroom. |
| No tee shirts with offensive language or distracting artwork will be tolerated. You may
go into the restroom and put it on wrong-side out, but do not wear it into the courtroom. |
| Along the same lines, no food, drink, candy, or gum are allowed in the courtroom. |
Lawyers are professionals and should dress as though they understand that.
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| What will happen if I wear something wrong?
In general, you will be sent home to dress properly. If you are from out of town you
may speak to the Bailiff or the Court Administrator and ask permission to enter despite
the violation of the dress code.
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| Can I talk to the judge?
The judge can talk to you about procedure (setting the case on a different day, what
could happen to you in your case, getting an attorney, etc.) but she cannot talk to you
about the facts of your case. The reason is explained here.
|
| Who do you recommend I talk to? |
Neither Judge Rollins nor her staff can give you legal advice or suggest any attorney
or bondsman to help you. Probably the best way to find out who to talk to is to ask your
friends and acquaintances, people who have experience with the type of problem you have.
You may also consider a reference listing like Martindale
Hubbell. Lawyers place advertisements in telephone directories and other publications
which may also be helpful, though many very good lawyers do not advertise. Like any other
service you might choose to purchase, feel free to talk to several attorneys or bondsmen
before making a choice.
| Why have there been so many passes on this case?
Often someone with an interest in the case, whether it is financial or emotional, feels
a need for the case to move faster to resolution. Generally in a civil case the plaintiff
wants a quick hearing and the defendant doesn't and in a criminal case, the state would
choose speed while the defense requests time. A catch-all answer cannot be given to the
question, but among frequent ones are these:
| An attorney has asked that a case be delayed so he or she can collect legal fees. While
this may seem a miscarrage of justice and letting the tail wag the dog, the result without
these delays would be the appointment of more attorneys at expense to the taxpayers of the
county. |
| Discovery or investigation has not been completed. |
| Other cases with a more urgent need to be tried took precedence. The law states that
criminal trials take precedence over civil, and if a criminal defendant is in custody,
that case normally is tried before those in which the defendant has made bond. |
| An attorney's schedule (for either side) has precluded taking care of a case at a time
set. |
| An attorney has manipulated the system to get the case delayed as long as possible. Yes,
this happens, and the Court knows it does. The abuse of our understanding will not
continue without limit, though. |
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