The Savior's of The Court Process: Volunteers

Nobody likes going to court. It's rigorous, it's scary, there is protocol to be followed. Say or do the wrong thing and it can be held against you. It's kind of like going to the dentist.

Even if you don't have a whole lot to do with the trial, for instance, you're there for jury duty, it can be a tense and overwhelming experience. The halls are quiet, the air is stiff...there isn't a whole lot of smiling going on. Law, by nature, is not fun, and when something's not fun, it is often stressful.

The Sonoma County Hall of Justice in California has a solution to rectify this problem, and they come in the form of Volunteer Aides. Whether they are senior citizens with a vast array of experience in the field and are just looking to lend a helping hand, or they're law students looking to get their foot in the door and learn with some hands on experience, the court finds these volunteers absolutely invaluable.

People from all backgrounds with all sorts of cases come through the court, most of which have never step foot there before, so this is a rather great way to ease people into a process that can be so overwhelming that it makes the process even harder. When you've got a sweet old lady smiling at you and politely giving you the information you need, your more inclined to be relaxed and go along with what needs to be done.

While I'm sure Sonoma is the only Hall of Justice that takes advantage of the help of community volunteers, it's a notion that should be considered by local court systems.