UK: Legal London
My visit to London included some important, law-related destinations.
It was a bright, sunny day when we took our legal tour of London.
We were led on our journey by Associate Dean Cameron, who taught part of the International Sports Law course, and Professor Sobel.
We visited the Royal Courts of Justice, also known as the Law Courts.
Across the street is the original Twinings Tea shop, which has been there for over 300 years.
We were not allowed to take photos of the interior. It was full of dark woodwork, and great, vaulted arches. It reminded me of Hogwarts.
As soon as you enter, there are metal detectors. Then there is a display in a nearby hallway, showing some of the weapons they have confiscated from people trying sneak weapons into the courtroom.
The Royal Courts of Justice are open to the public, and anyone can go and observe the hearings. I watched a drug dealer get his appeal thrown out.
The proceeding was pretty boring in and of itself, though. The judges didn't hear arguments, they had they ruling made before the proceeding even began, and one of the judges sat there and read their ruling off a sheet of paper. It was really long.
The judges and attorney's all wear robes and wigs, just like in the old movies. The judges get the really long wigs, while the barristers (lawyers) get little wigs. And somehow, they do this all un-self-consciously.
In England, there are two types of lawyers: Barristers are the guys who go to court and put on trials and the kind of stuff you see in the movies. Solicitors are the majority of the lawyers, the guys who do paperwork and write contracts and legal documents.
The City of Westminster is a section of London. This is one of their fancy lampposts. The yellow globe atop the striped pole is a crosswalk. When you can cross, the light blinks.
This is the Old Bailey. It is the Central Criminal Court in London.
Atop the dome stands a statue representing Justice. The Old Bailey was built on the site of a medieval prison. It was also destroyed in "V for Vendetta."
This is the South block of the Old Bailey. This is the actual entrance to the building. The fancy, columned facade entrance is generally only used ceremonially.
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is a famous old pub near the courts, one of the oldest pubs in the city. It's not just old, it's Olde.
The pub has been here for 470 years, though it was burned in the Great Fire of 1666 and rebuilt the next year. It was supposedly the hangout of such famous folk as Dickens, Tennyson, and Arthur Conan Doyle.
Its proximity to the courts means this place has been popular with lawyers and judges for centuries. The interior is dark and claustrophobic. They're quite proud of their longevity, as evidenced by this list of rulers the pub has survived.
Next time: Classmates!
For my other posts of the UK, click on "uk" up above, where it says "Tags."
SHOPPING TIME:
waynekaa is selling costumes and a puppet!
neku_niku is selling a new Angelic Pretty Black Millefeuille skirt!
aimeekitty is having a Huge Garage Sale!
pixel_stitcher is selling the Feb 2009 issue of CosMode Magazine!
Amanda is selling this amazing jacket!
Don't forget to buy your tickets to the May 9 SoCal Spring Cosplay Gathering!
pegasusmaiden is selling cute hairclips!
It was a bright, sunny day when we took our legal tour of London.
We were led on our journey by Associate Dean Cameron, who taught part of the International Sports Law course, and Professor Sobel.
We visited the Royal Courts of Justice, also known as the Law Courts.
Across the street is the original Twinings Tea shop, which has been there for over 300 years.
We were not allowed to take photos of the interior. It was full of dark woodwork, and great, vaulted arches. It reminded me of Hogwarts.
As soon as you enter, there are metal detectors. Then there is a display in a nearby hallway, showing some of the weapons they have confiscated from people trying sneak weapons into the courtroom.
The Royal Courts of Justice are open to the public, and anyone can go and observe the hearings. I watched a drug dealer get his appeal thrown out.
The proceeding was pretty boring in and of itself, though. The judges didn't hear arguments, they had they ruling made before the proceeding even began, and one of the judges sat there and read their ruling off a sheet of paper. It was really long.
The judges and attorney's all wear robes and wigs, just like in the old movies. The judges get the really long wigs, while the barristers (lawyers) get little wigs. And somehow, they do this all un-self-consciously.
In England, there are two types of lawyers: Barristers are the guys who go to court and put on trials and the kind of stuff you see in the movies. Solicitors are the majority of the lawyers, the guys who do paperwork and write contracts and legal documents.
The City of Westminster is a section of London. This is one of their fancy lampposts. The yellow globe atop the striped pole is a crosswalk. When you can cross, the light blinks.
This is the Old Bailey. It is the Central Criminal Court in London.
Atop the dome stands a statue representing Justice. The Old Bailey was built on the site of a medieval prison. It was also destroyed in "V for Vendetta."
This is the South block of the Old Bailey. This is the actual entrance to the building. The fancy, columned facade entrance is generally only used ceremonially.
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is a famous old pub near the courts, one of the oldest pubs in the city. It's not just old, it's Olde.
The pub has been here for 470 years, though it was burned in the Great Fire of 1666 and rebuilt the next year. It was supposedly the hangout of such famous folk as Dickens, Tennyson, and Arthur Conan Doyle.
Its proximity to the courts means this place has been popular with lawyers and judges for centuries. The interior is dark and claustrophobic. They're quite proud of their longevity, as evidenced by this list of rulers the pub has survived.
Next time: Classmates!
For my other posts of the UK, click on "uk" up above, where it says "Tags."
SHOPPING TIME:
waynekaa is selling costumes and a puppet!
neku_niku is selling a new Angelic Pretty Black Millefeuille skirt!
aimeekitty is having a Huge Garage Sale!
pixel_stitcher is selling the Feb 2009 issue of CosMode Magazine!
Amanda is selling this amazing jacket!
Don't forget to buy your tickets to the May 9 SoCal Spring Cosplay Gathering!
pegasusmaiden is selling cute hairclips!