Entering on Page 47, Part 1: The Scene

Before opening the door, I see a packet of paper with names and charges listed. I look for the person I’m assigned to, then check their room assignment, charges, attorney information, and so on.

Entering the courtroom, I notice pews, like church seating. It seems anyone can sit there, without pause or question. Then there is a short wall with a swinging gate. On the other side, people sit along a wall at two large desks facing the bench, which is flanked by two other seating areas with desks or platforms. There is also a small windowed area off to one side, tucked into the corner behind yet another desk. TVs are mounted on opposite sides of the inner area as well.

As I enter and pause, I see people in small groups sitting in the pews, dressed in everyday clothes: sweats, jeans, various attire. A uniformed person, with weapons, radios, and a bulletproof vest, monitors the door from inside the wall and gate, eyeing everyone who enters. I see a worker, dressed in business casual, at the desk to the left of the bench working quickly with paper, a copier, a computer, and a phone, making lots of trips in and out of the courtroom. To the right of the bench is another worker, also in business casual, behind a computer with two monitors, with not much movement on that side. There is a worker in a suit at the desk to the left and in front of the bench. They have multiple monitors, paperwork, and a printer nearby, and they are entertaining conversation from a slew of other suited people primarily seated along the wall. The desk to the right and in front of the bench has bins for blank paperwork, a microphone, and notices posted about court dates and reminders about filling out forms.

As things progress, I notice locked doors behind the bench and the windowed area. One of the clerks has access to the door behind the bench, but there is no direct access from this room to the windowed area.

Nothing has “started” at this point, but there is quite a bit of hustle and bustle in preparation: people checking lists, tracking the order of events, communicating with people behind the scenes to coordinate logistics, and negotiating between attorneys about what will happen officially when things “start.”

So much groundwork, so many moving parts, so much happening behind the scenes, and so many different responsibilities and roles to make things function once things “start.”

This is what it means to enter on page 47 of the story. In this series on interpreting in court, we will explore the various aspects of entering on page 47 – the impact on decision-making, meaning-making, and process-unfolding.

This asks us, as interpreters, to pay attention, to bring tools to bear, and to be cognizant of the surroundings, both physical and chronological. It asks us to enter with care and consideration.