Originally posted by Nash
Well... Did you sit on a bench? In a robe? With a gavel? Did you have people come into your courtroom? Did you say things like "Over-ruled!"? Could you order the bailiff to beat on unrully folks? Did you hand down decisions? Did you sentence people to years in jail?
You know... Judge type stuff. Was this you?
Well, we dont have robes or wigs in Sweden. We dont have that "objection" - "overruled"-thingy either. Nor do we have a jury, or a bailiff.
The first year, I got to do pretty much nothing but to prepare cases, prepare files, brief judges on legal stuff, write reports, be a part of the court in various trials (that is, sit behind the bench with the judge and the three "nämndemän" but without a vote in the verdict).
Then after a year, I "earned my spurs" or whatever. I got to handle all divorces, adoptions, bankruptcies. That is, if someone wanted a divorce, I was the one going over the case, and deciding if they should get a divorce or not, and I signed the documents...you know "the court finds that the marriage of mr X and mrs Y has ended...blah blah ...on behalf of the court...signed me". Same with adoptions..."the court grants mr and mrs X the right to adopt the child Y ...signed me" ..same with bankruptcies..."the court finds that the company X is insolvent and declares it to be under bankruptcy...signed me" etc etc I also did hundreds of smaller cases...if anyone was to be declared unable to care for themselves and put under a guardian..I signed those rulings...etc etc
I got to handle all cases up until the trial (stuff like rule on public defenders, making sure the lawsuits are correct, etc etc boring stuff). I got to hold my own trials in certain "lighter" cases (speeding, shoplifting, driving without permit, violation against EC law, etc etc) In these cases I was the judge. I sat in the judge seat, I had three "nämndemän" beside me, and another junior judge that was below me in rank or how to call it. I called all the shots, ordered people around...blah blah...you name it, I was the judge. I have never sentenced anyone to jail however. 99% of the cases I got were cases where the perp got a fine. In the "heavier" cases, I still did the same thing as in the first year (sit behind the bench without a vote).