Order in the courtroom

What is the order in a courtroom?

Yesterday morning I was in Judge Meyer's courtroom to hear his decision in the matter of Zane Seipler's reinstatement as a deputy sheriff in the McHenry County Sheriff's Department.

Seipler had two cases in Judge Meyer's courtroom that morning. One case was called - the case involving a request for a special prosecutor. Zane's attorney had filed a motion for more time, and the State did not object. Judge Meyer granted more time and then moved on to other cases without calling the second Seipler case.

At that point Zane, who was also there, and I left the courtroom. Zane told me that Judge Meyer would be mailing out his decision.

This morning I heard that Judge Meyer read his decision in open court later in the session.

Was the second case on the court call, but at the end?

Recently, when I approached the bailiff in a different courtroom, she told me that I could not examine the printed call, since I am not an attorney. I believed the bailiff was wrong, but I suspect it is not a good idea to try to argue ("discuss") a point with a bailiff. I like being able to walk out of a courtroom under my own power.

I believe that I, or anyone, should be able to look at the printed copy of the court's business, as long as doing so doesn't disrupt the court. If I want to look at the call before the court session begins or during a recess, then I ought to be able to approach the court clerk or the bailiff to ask permission to go to one of the tables and pick up a copy to read it.

Edited at 1:14PM to add the following:

The docket in civil cases is arranged in alphabetical order by the first letter of the plaintiff's lawyer's name! Now there is a rational way of doing business. Not the plaintiff's name; not the defendant's name. The lawyer's name!

That's why Zane and I missed the result of his reinstatement decision. I have also learned that Judge Meyer did not read his decision in court. It was released, but not read.

Further, in the civil courtrooms the court call is available for anyone to read. Printed copies are placed on the attorneys' table. If you are in court and want to read it, just go to one of the attorneys' tables and pick it up and read it. Hint: don't do this while the court is in session. At least in Judge Meyer's courtroom, you don't need to ask the bailiff or court clerk. If you are in a different courtroom, you might want to ask.