Hear ye! Hear ye!

"All rise ... Judge Prather presiding." Then the Judge: "Be seated."

No problem hearing that this morning in Judge Prather's courtroom. After that, it was "iffy".

In most cases, Judge Prather spoke in her usual, clear, firm, loud-enough tone of voice, so that she could be heard in the courtroom.

In some of the cases, the attorney spoke almost loudly enough to be heard in the courtroom.

Now, if the other attorneys had kept quiet (those standing by the tables or the railing), then more of what was said at the bench could have been heard.

And then came the case I was there to observe. An attorney approached and identified a case on the call - to the judge, that is. The State was present. The defendant was not. And Judge Prather never announced the name associated with the case, so I wasn't really sure it was.

In fact, even now I'm not sure. What I did hear her say was "Sheriff's Department" and "Motion" and "denied in part" and "continued to November 7".

How simple it would be if the judges and attorneys just spoke up in normal tones of voice. They don't have to shout and even speak loudly. Just speak in a normal tone of voice that can be heard throughout the courtroom. I wonder what their resistance is to allowing people in the courtroom to hear what is being said at the bench. It's a public courtroom in the USA, not a secret society in Russia or China.

The attention of the bailiff to the noise and conversation in the courtroom and in the entrance way should be a given. What is he there for? To keep order which, in my opinion, includes that the courtroom is to be quiet, with respect properly given to courtroom proceedings. If the "People" in the courtroom can hear, then they'll be quiet and listen.

What a concept!