I had court this past Tuesday for their mom's death trial. Mom's sister did not show up to court and she must be present to proceed. For no reason at all, she decided to not come. She knows that the case stops if she doesn''t show up. When we got to court, my lawyer called her incessantly telling her she needs to get there. We were called fairly early and had to ask the judge to postpone our case until she got there. We would have been out of court by 10, instead we stayed until almost 4:30pm waiting to be called again. Then the sister had the audacity to ask for money because she doesn't have gas. I am appalled because I have to pay my lawyer for entire day's worth of work all because she decided to not show up on time.
I feel like in the USA we have very high standards and respect for human beings as a whole. I am sometimes so shocked by the way the government is not run the same way. I am really taken back by things that seem to be so "common nature" to us, is not the same here.
One of the cases before ours was a rape trial. 3 young men, my age, sat in front of us in the court room. The victim was seated in front of them. These adult men were acting like children. They were laughing, snickering, whispering, and making sexual gestures with their hands to the man accused of raping her. The laughing and snickering continued as she return to her seat and off the stand.
How mortifying.
No one said anything to them.
As cases are waiting for the judges on recess, all the inmates have family and friends up and talking to them. At any point, anyone can slip them something. Besides that, it was loud and obnoxious. There was no respect for the courtroom. Even when the judges are in there, there are people crammed up all the walls and sitting 6-7 people deep on the benches made for 3-4 adults comfortably. It's unreal.
As our case is called again, the public defender wants almost all the documents like the police report, autopsy, etc thrown out because of dates not put in a specific spot. The judge denies and the other lawyer says he doesn't know what he is talking about, there are dates. Image having a child be a lawyer, that is what this young man was like watching.
The judge calls each person to see if they are present and I stand in place of my kids. Then, she calls Amantina. The deceased. We have been to trial 4 times (I missed the first one(...and every time she calls the dead to stand. I must admit it pisses me off that she cannot write herself a NOTE: VICTIM-DECEASED. You know, the one this guy over here killed. The reason we are all here today.
The trial has finally moved forward into an actual trial. The dad never got a private lawyer and the judge never even asks him about it. I bet she doesn't even know that we were rescheduled for that. I bet she didn't know that we have been there 5 times. The police report is disgustingly vague, lacking important details, like Jessica and Daniela were present. Things like he attempted murder on them but their rabbit cage was locked, in which they hid for safety.
The lawyer pulls out the hammer used in the crime with his bare hands. The man that runs notes between the judges and lawyers and remains order in the room, jumps back from his desk in disgust, telling him not to touch it with bare hands. The lawyer then grabs a pamphlet that looks like something to advertise for Sea World and picks it back up with the paper. He begins to chuckle as he is putting in the pi public defender's face. All the while something is hilarious to one of the judges and she is cracking up, hiding her face low behind her computer screen. Luke pointed to her and I was in awe.
Where am I? Is this really happening right now? How dare anyone laugh about anything in this courtroom? It's nothing for them to have phones out and showing photos, Facebook; I have no idea what they are doing, at times.
We will take the girls to testify outside the courtroom in 2 weeks when they notify me. Then, our final trial date is Thanksgiving Day.
Another update: Passports
We went to go get passports yesterday and was denied again. I hired a lawyer to handle all of that. She said it was ready, we have authorization, I paid her for helping me... then I get to the office and they said that they didn't know I was American. They can't authorize it there. Then, the extremely rude lady wants to know where their dad is..I am appalled that I gave her my documents stating my CASE and she is asking me this! Then, she asks where their real mom is...seriously? She read none of it after she took it to the backroom to be discussed. Evidently, that happen in Santo Domingo, too. Sorry, didn't know you were American. I was like, are you saying that she did not read this document from the judge? Because no where in here does it say I have a Dominican Cedulla card, only says American passport.
My lawyer drove all the way to Santo Domingo a few weeks ago. She is Dominican, so we have no excuses for language miscommunication. She explained the case and they still were lazy and didn't do anything thorough. I prayed and got calm quickly. My lawyer is calling some people. If we can't process it here, I can go to Santo Domingo and get them for sure. It's just a hassle because I need to do visas there. That is a lot of trips to the Capitol and maybe having to stay overnight in a hotel to save on costs.
All in all, I am calm about everything. I don't think living here and understanding the system gets easier. Mainly because there is no order. People are lazy and it doesn't matter. There is no hierarchy of authority. A judge grants flying rights, but the passport office doesn't think I should have flying rights, so they deny. So I have to hire a lawyer to get them to follow their own laws? Money wasted because you won't get anything accomplished unless you do. Then, they don't read the documents, make mistakes, and don't care to even apologize or make it work because it is their fault. It is none of the passports office clerk's business where mom and dad are, I am legal guardian and the judge said allow it.
Let you know about passports next week. Lift us up.
I feel like in the USA we have very high standards and respect for human beings as a whole. I am sometimes so shocked by the way the government is not run the same way. I am really taken back by things that seem to be so "common nature" to us, is not the same here.
One of the cases before ours was a rape trial. 3 young men, my age, sat in front of us in the court room. The victim was seated in front of them. These adult men were acting like children. They were laughing, snickering, whispering, and making sexual gestures with their hands to the man accused of raping her. The laughing and snickering continued as she return to her seat and off the stand.
How mortifying.
No one said anything to them.
As cases are waiting for the judges on recess, all the inmates have family and friends up and talking to them. At any point, anyone can slip them something. Besides that, it was loud and obnoxious. There was no respect for the courtroom. Even when the judges are in there, there are people crammed up all the walls and sitting 6-7 people deep on the benches made for 3-4 adults comfortably. It's unreal.
As our case is called again, the public defender wants almost all the documents like the police report, autopsy, etc thrown out because of dates not put in a specific spot. The judge denies and the other lawyer says he doesn't know what he is talking about, there are dates. Image having a child be a lawyer, that is what this young man was like watching.
The judge calls each person to see if they are present and I stand in place of my kids. Then, she calls Amantina. The deceased. We have been to trial 4 times (I missed the first one(...and every time she calls the dead to stand. I must admit it pisses me off that she cannot write herself a NOTE: VICTIM-DECEASED. You know, the one this guy over here killed. The reason we are all here today.
The trial has finally moved forward into an actual trial. The dad never got a private lawyer and the judge never even asks him about it. I bet she doesn't even know that we were rescheduled for that. I bet she didn't know that we have been there 5 times. The police report is disgustingly vague, lacking important details, like Jessica and Daniela were present. Things like he attempted murder on them but their rabbit cage was locked, in which they hid for safety.
The lawyer pulls out the hammer used in the crime with his bare hands. The man that runs notes between the judges and lawyers and remains order in the room, jumps back from his desk in disgust, telling him not to touch it with bare hands. The lawyer then grabs a pamphlet that looks like something to advertise for Sea World and picks it back up with the paper. He begins to chuckle as he is putting in the pi public defender's face. All the while something is hilarious to one of the judges and she is cracking up, hiding her face low behind her computer screen. Luke pointed to her and I was in awe.
Where am I? Is this really happening right now? How dare anyone laugh about anything in this courtroom? It's nothing for them to have phones out and showing photos, Facebook; I have no idea what they are doing, at times.
We will take the girls to testify outside the courtroom in 2 weeks when they notify me. Then, our final trial date is Thanksgiving Day.
Another update: Passports
We went to go get passports yesterday and was denied again. I hired a lawyer to handle all of that. She said it was ready, we have authorization, I paid her for helping me... then I get to the office and they said that they didn't know I was American. They can't authorize it there. Then, the extremely rude lady wants to know where their dad is..I am appalled that I gave her my documents stating my CASE and she is asking me this! Then, she asks where their real mom is...seriously? She read none of it after she took it to the backroom to be discussed. Evidently, that happen in Santo Domingo, too. Sorry, didn't know you were American. I was like, are you saying that she did not read this document from the judge? Because no where in here does it say I have a Dominican Cedulla card, only says American passport.
My lawyer drove all the way to Santo Domingo a few weeks ago. She is Dominican, so we have no excuses for language miscommunication. She explained the case and they still were lazy and didn't do anything thorough. I prayed and got calm quickly. My lawyer is calling some people. If we can't process it here, I can go to Santo Domingo and get them for sure. It's just a hassle because I need to do visas there. That is a lot of trips to the Capitol and maybe having to stay overnight in a hotel to save on costs.
All in all, I am calm about everything. I don't think living here and understanding the system gets easier. Mainly because there is no order. People are lazy and it doesn't matter. There is no hierarchy of authority. A judge grants flying rights, but the passport office doesn't think I should have flying rights, so they deny. So I have to hire a lawyer to get them to follow their own laws? Money wasted because you won't get anything accomplished unless you do. Then, they don't read the documents, make mistakes, and don't care to even apologize or make it work because it is their fault. It is none of the passports office clerk's business where mom and dad are, I am legal guardian and the judge said allow it.
Let you know about passports next week. Lift us up.
Oh my! What an ordeal. Those poor girls. I am glad they have you to watch over them after this horrible crime. I can understand and agree with every single thing you stated in your update. It is insane how you have to hire a lawyer for everything to make someone do what they are supposed to do anyway and the lack of care and common sense here. I will pray for all of you and hope this all goes smoothly and quickly. God Bless you all!
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