Can a novelist sit in on court hearings for research? Yes. Utsudo went along with a friend interning at a court and observed civil and criminal hearings. She realized courts are where people go to resolve problems, and that many criminal defendants come from the bottom of society without lawyers, which made her reflect on how environment shapes lives. Because of the pandemic, she was the only spectator in the gallery—and her friend said she looked suspicious looking around. She encourages everyone to visit a court and learn about the justice system.

Translated from Utsudo’s original Chinese column.

Going to court with a friend doing an internship

A friend of mine was interning at a court and shared many related experiences with me. I found it fascinating, so once I half-jokingly said, “I’ve never been to a court. Could I tag along for research sometime during your internship?”

To my surprise, he agreed right away and said I could come during his internship hours.

When I watched Legal High, I’d seen the public gallery and thought about trying it out sometime. But a novelist friend who studied law said courts are really boring and cases are never as entertaining as on TV, so I dropped the idea (X

But this friend now interning at the court is passionate about law and helping the disadvantaged. What he shared with me was positive and proactive, with deeper ideals and ambitions, which rekindled my interest.

So we set a date, and I went along to see the court.

Civil court: the weight of going to law

While waiting for the morning session, I sat in the waiting room watching a video about judges on repeat. Then several parties to the cases arrived. I overheard them discussing things, and their anxiety showed.

At first I came out of curiosity. But when I realized that a court is where people go to law to resolve problems—some cases could change a person’s whole life, and they came because they had no choice—I set aside my initial attitude and observed carefully, with humility and respect.

Criminal court and the bottom of society

After watching civil court, I went to the criminal courts on the third floor.

I found that a large proportion of the people who commit crimes are from the bottom of society, so many had no lawyer with them. Listening to some of the charges, I felt a bit sad.

Whether you have professional legal counsel makes a big difference and can change the outcome. For example, in a murder case, if the defense can steer things toward “insufficient evidence,” the defendant may be acquitted; if all the evidence points to you, you may be convicted.

Of course, that assumes the judge is impartial.

An elder once told me that although people have innate qualities, upbringing and other external conditions shape a person’s future and outlook even more. If someone never feels the urge to change, they may live their whole life that way and raise the next generation with the same views, copying their life.

I wonder if you’ve heard the saying “poverty is hereditary.” Whatever group you live in, you’re very likely to stay there. For example, if you’re middle class, you’re likely to find a middle-class partner and form a middle-class family.

I didn’t really believe it before, but the more cases I see, the more it seems true…

It made me a little sad. Perhaps if these people had been born into a different environment, they wouldn’t be here today.

I have so many feelings about it that a few words can’t cover them.

The only spectator, mistaken for a suspicious person

But maybe because of the pandemic, apart from parties and lawyers waiting for later hearings, I was the only actual spectator in the gallery.

Afterward my friend told me that from the courtroom he saw someone wide-eyed, curiously looking all around—very suspicious-looking.

I was stunned. I was just trying hard to observe everything around me, and I was taken for a suspicious person? No wonder the police officers in criminal court kept glancing my way—so that was why…?

By the way, I didn’t expect the court to sell food and drinks. It was a bit like an upscale café, which surprised me.

I occasionally go to places I don’t usually visit, because they always spark new ideas and experiences. I suggest you visit a court too and learn about the justice system. Lots of cases are heard every day, and you might realize something from them—or learn what to avoid so you don’t get into trouble, knowledge school doesn’t teach.

The main point is, if more people visit, maybe next time a novelist shows up there, she won’t be taken for a suspicious person XD

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Further reading

• Previous: Hey! I Heard You’re a Writer on Ghost Island #145: Do You Also Dream of Your Story Becoming an Anime?
• Start from the beginning: Hey! I Heard You’re a Writer on Ghost Island #01: Utsudo’s Debut — A Road to the Dream Covered in Frost
• Utsudo’s books

About the author

Utsudo is a Taiwanese light novelist and novelist VTuber with more than ten years in the industry and 40 commercially published print books. Her novel 《遺失的情書》 received a 2022 Ministry of Culture youth creative award. The 《嘿！聽說妳在鬼島當作家》 series records her experiences as a novelist in Taiwan.