I'm not going to lie, 90 per cent of the time, court is pretty dry.
Nevertheless, I actually enjoy it 90 per cent of the time. No, I don't think I'm a sucker for punishment.
This week was particularly dry and it got me musing about why I enjoy being in what I'm sure most people would find an excruciatingly boring situation.
The first thing is, I guess I just like being 'in the know,' so to speak. The knowledge of what is being done around town, and who is doing it, I suppose in some way it appeals to my sense of connection with the city.
Secondly, it is a constant reminder that crime is not just numbers, it is about people. When you analyze crime statistics, study the Criminal Code, read a lot of judgements and reflect on justice issues constantly, as I do, it is to forget that each and every incident involves actual living, breathing human beings.
And it's not just the perpetrators. There are the defendants' families, the victims, victim services volunteers, police officers, justice workers, defence attorneys, Crown prosecutors, clerks, and yes, even media types.
Being in court keeps it firmly in the forefront that justice is not an esoteric concept
Thirdly, you learn an awful lot about the law, which is not only interesting, but could come in very handy. Knock on wood.
The primary reason I like being in court, though, is that the place simply appeals to my rationality.
Out here in the world, I am constant barraged with illogic. Decisionmaking based on fallacies and emotion. Politics based on ideology and ad hominem attacks. Advertising that relies on anecdote and obfuscation.
In the courtroom setting, none of this flies. In court, evidence is king.
In an advanced democracy, such as Canada, the justice system is highly evolved. The procedural regime is extremely sophisticated.
That is not to say, it is perfect, but it strives to be so by requiring proof, beyond a reasonable doubt. It punishes lack of preparation and shoddy arguments. It shuns poor logic and weak evidence.
In short, it is dispassionate. That does not mean uncompassionate, which is having no pity or mercy.
It means that everyone is equal before the law. That decisions are made on the basis of cold, hard facts, without bias or emotion.
As I said before, it doesn't always work perfectly. Sometimes, Lady Justice peeks out from under her blindfold and gets it wrong, but the system has safeguards that limit the chances of that happening.
I am not a dispassionate person by nature, but I aspire to live my life logically and objectively. That's why being in court, even when it's dry, really appeals to me.
