Blog 22: Independent Component 2

Me in front of the courthouse

LITERAL

(a) Include this statement: “I, Ethan Porsona, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents about 30 hours of work.”

(b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.

• It was my mentor Daniel Benitez that helped me with this component. I did not really use any other source.

(c) Update your Independent Component 2 Log (which should be under your Senior Project Hours link)

• senior project hours

(d) Explain what you completed.    

• I went to a courthouse in Pomona to view court trials and see lawyers in action. I attempted to watch the trails and take notes on what was happening and what the lawyers were doing. My main goal was to observe how the lawyer would act with their clients.

(e) Defend your work and explain the component's significance and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.   

• Over the past couple of weeks I went to a court house in Pomona. First I had to plan which courthouse to attend and what time I could attend. The address of the courthouse I went to is 400 Civic Center Plaza Pomona, CA 91766. Before I went to see any trials I had to go to the sheriff’s office and ask which trials I was allowed to see. When I saw the trials they were very long. It took some cases at least a few days to reach a verdict. There was one lawyer that talked for about an hour straight before he sat down to let the other attorney start speaking. While listening to the lawyers I managed to take some notes.

Here are some of the notes I took

(f)How did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped.

• One of my answers is communication and by watching these trials I was able to see how a lawyer communicates to the judge, the jury, the client, and the people on the stand. I notice how one lawyer asked very specific question to help support his argument.

Blog 16: Independent Component 2 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

I’m planning on doing something my mentor recommended to do for an independent component. I was thinking about going to a courthouse to see the lawyers there. My mentor told me that if I go there I can see some other lawyers in action and I could try to ask them questions.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

I would spend some time maybe a few hours in the courthouse watching lawyers in court. I could use this time to learn first-hand at what the lawyers do in court and take notes.

3.  Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.

One of my answers was communication and negotiation. The component will help me learn more about litigation between lawyers. I would be able to see how they act in court. I might learn a lot from some experienced lawyers that I meet.

4.  Post a log in your Senior Project Hours link and label it "Independent Component 2" log.

Independent Component 1

LITERAL

(a) Write: “I, Ethan Justin Porsona, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”

(b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.

" California Bankruptcy Process – How to File Bankruptcy in California." California Bankruptcy. California Bankruptcy.2005. Web. 14 Jan. 2016..

La Fond, John Q. and Singer Richard G,. Criminal Law Examples & Explanations, New York: Aspen Publishers. 2004. Print.

LegalAidKY. “Bankruptcy Overview.” Online video clip. Youtube. Youtube, 22 March, 2011. Web. 27 Jan. 2016.

"Process - Bankruptcy Basics." US Courts. US Courts. n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.

(c) Update your hours in your Senior Project Hours link. Make sure it is clearly labeled with hours for individual sessions as well as total hours.

(d) Explain what you completed.    

First I participated in a mock trial. I logged my hours after school to study and prepare. Then I decided to create a flowchart describing the bankruptcy process. I spent most of the time researching for the flowchart and I found some useful sources and some not so useful sources.

INTERPRETIVE

Defend your work and explain its significance to your project and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.  

Here is a link to some notes I took after after school: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FH_KzdkuC4cjNuNOQ4UjObmwekhAqWpWnPz-R3XIIbw/edit?usp=sharing

Here is a screenshot of the finished flowchart:

APPLIED

How did the component help you understand the foundation of your topic better?  Please include specific examples to illustrate this.

It helped me learn more about litigation. The mock trial really helped with understanding what it is like in the courtroom. In bankruptcy law the lawyer spends long hours in the courtroom talking with other lawyers.

The flowchart really helps grasp the process of bankruptcy and the different types. through this experience I learned a lot about the six chapters of bankruptcy. When I started I only knew about Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Now I know about Chapters 9, 11, 12, and 15.

Grading Criteria

Blog 8: Independent Component 1 Proposal

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

For my independent component I have decided to use the experience from the mock trial the mock trial. This gave me some good experience on how lawyers work in court. I got a good idea on what lawyers have to do in court. As a defense lawyer I hope I did my best to guide my client through the court process. It was my job to put any reasonable doubt into the minds of jurors.

I could also do more research on how bankruptcy lawyers have to do and know to help their client. I can study some techniques that they for when they negotiate. I want to try and make some flow chart or step-by-step guide on what bankruptcy lawyers have to do.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

The mock trial only completed part of the hours. I had a week of preparation and I spent it looking over the witness information and client information. With all that information I was able to strategize on how I can advocate for my client. I have a criminal law book that I will study. I found some articles on what a lawyer should do in court.

As for the guide I’m thinking about doing, I’ll research what a bankruptcy lawyer has to know, then I’ll start creating the steps on what a bankruptcy lawyer should do and how to handle certain situations.

3.  Explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

It really helped me sharpen my critical thinking skills. I had to plan ahead and know what to say. I would also say that I sharpened up my research skills. In a collaboration with the prosecution we got the witnesses to answer some question. Most of this was done outside of class. I got an idea of what the witnesses were going to say. This helped me prepare for a cross-examination.

The guide will help me get a better understanding of bankruptcy lawyers. I’ll have more knowledge on how to advise people in debt. I’ll know what I’d have to do in certain cases.

4.  Update your Senior Project Hours log.

I'll update the link on the blog.