A judge is a bit like a referee in a sports game. Although the referee in a basketball or game or soccer match has to be in great physical shape, it is very important for judges to be in the best mental shape. From reading all of the documents ahead of time to listening carefully to all of the lawyers, as well as the witnesses that testify. And while the idea of having everyone stand for you whenever you walk in the courtroom may be enticing, the reality is that there are many times when the weight of the decisions that are made in a courtroom can be exhausting.
Part of this exhaustion comes from all of the actual events that happen in a courtroom on the other side of the judge’s domain. From courtrooms that deal with real estate attorneys and defense lawyers to the courtrooms that focus on personal injury cases and family law, there are many times when the emotional, physical, and financial future of a person will be determined by what happens in a courtroom.
Trusts and Wills Are Important Planning That Everyone Should Do
Very often when many of us think about a courtroom we think about a judge presiding over a courtroom filled with a jury, a defense lawyer and a defendant, a prosecutor, and a list of witnesses. The fact of the matter is, however, there are many times when the legal world is not about defense lawyers, but wills and trusts, and does not include a defendant but a set of parents wanting to adopt a child. In fact, the number of criminal cases in courtrooms today pale in comparison to the many times when legal effort goes toward finding solutions to family situations or dealing with trusts, wills, and other legal documents that help families cope during some of the most stressful times of their life.
And while there are as many as 10,000 people in the U.S. may be wrongfully convicted of serious crimes each year, their cases, while important, are still a small portion of the work that lawyers do. Consider some of these statistics about the many times when you might find yourself in need of a lawyer:
- With a new divorce happening every 36 seconds in the U.S., the latest statistics show that there are about 876,000 divorces each year. This, of course, means that there are many times when family law firms are needed.
- In fact, 41% of first marriages, 60% of second marriages, and 73% of third marriages end in divorce.
- Nearly 30% of failing marriages involve couples who have children under the age of 18, so in addition to a divorce, these families are also looking at child custody issues as well.
- In fact, more than 1 million children are involved in divorce proceedings every single year.
- Because the rest are settled out of court, only 4% to 5% of personal injury cases in the U.S. go to trial.
- Every two minutes, a person is injured in a drunk driving crash, and many of those charged with these offenses find themselves in need of a criminal defense lawyer.
- Because an average drunk driver has driven drunk 80 times before the first arrest, their are many times when it is necessary to work with the most qualified defense lawyers who are available.
- The most common personal injury case is motor vehicle accidents at 52%, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
- The second most common personal injury case is medical malpractice at 15%, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
- The third most common personal injury case is product liability at 5%, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
- Nearly 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With half of those victims being children, it is even more important that parents make sure they understand the legal rights.
- 72% of American seniors have a living will, but it is important to make sure that this will is updated as your life situations change.
When many people think of a court room they think about the judge on the stand in the front of the courtroom, the real variety is in the clients the judge is working with.