Week 6

This week was a fun court week because of the different things I have been able to see. I was able to see two cases where both the mother and the father had to swear in to present the parenting plan. The first case was interesting because the father brought in all sorts of evidence including report cards, statements from teachers and daycare workers, stating their child was best in his care. He had the backing of his parents and other family members sat behind him. While our client the mother was by herself, but it did not matter because of the relationship she has with William. The judge saw all the evidence and decided to have the hearing at a later date because he had not filled it with the court. But, looking at the documents, William pointed that most of it was invalid because of either the time period or changes in the mother's lifestyle. William pointed out to the court just his mere relationship with the client, that she was strung out and unhealthy, but now she is self-sustaining and off drugs. The judge said she would take all the dates into accounts and work through the documents.

The second case I learned the opposite of having a solid relationship with one's lawyer. From the beginning of this case William told me how hard it was to work with this client and now he told me how much he enjoyed working with her. However, the father was not willing to work with his lawyer and stood up and told the judge he would rather work by himself. Up until going to court I never understood why everyone needed a lawyer. After sitting in courts every week I can that a lot of these people don't have a high school diplomas and aren't able to represent their own case. In this case, this client is still using drugs and couldn't come to a coherent thought. I've seen his lawyer work on cases and he does a great job with all of his clients, but because of the father's unwillingness to work, it cost him his child. Our client however left with tears of joy and thanks for William and all he did. It shows why everyone who is in legal proceedings should have a lawyer. But, also showed me the power of having a relationship with someone who can advocate for you.

Week 5

This week was very productive because of all the contacts I was able to make. Five weeks ago when I started this internship I was given a list of people to call and have contacted most of them. But, there were a few that I have been trying to call and finally got hold of them. The funny thing is, most of them are not clients, some were social workers. One of our clients who moved to Maple Valley has been trying to get her services set back up. I finally got a call from her to let me know she just set up her classes. I get that people are busy, but this client has been waiting on these services to get her kids back. It's sad to me to see how slowly people work to help get their children back. This has also made me realize that some people truly treat their jobs like any other job. This internship is really teaching me what not to do in whatever field I decide to go into.

Another client I have been trying to get a hold of since our this internship started is someone we will call SE. During this time I have called him every time I have been here and his phone has been turned off. I was just about to give up on calling him and I tried one last time and he finally picked up. He let me know that he has been using drugs again and has failed his last UA. He also let me know that he had a warrant out for his arrest and these are all things I took notes for William. William told me that he was starting to show some life, but now he has lost it. William is going to suggest that SE turn himself into the police, that way he can get clean. I asked if that would be the best thing and William told me that jail time is really good for people who can't quit. They can get free services they couldn't afford and get proper counseling. I always thought jail as a bad thing, but I am learing that it can be benefical to some. I also learned to not give up on doing the little things because it can make a big impact in the long run.