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Why Openings are Like Old English Times

If you ever watch the beginning of a trial in the trial parts in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, you might get the feeling that you were back in old English times. It is formal, it is respectful and it is different then anything you have seen before.

Lawyer shows on TV and the movies don't do it justice. The formalities that you observe at trial today were established hundreds of years ago. The traditions from those times have carried over to today. The words "May it please the court," is something you will often hear in a courtroom.

The reality is that the judge is supposed to be impartial in the proceeding and is the case is not supposed to please or displease the court at all. However, when you go back in time and learn why those words were used it makes total sense why they are still used today.

Watch the video to learn more...

Gerry practices law exclusively in the State of New York. Within New York he practices primarily in the following counties: New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk. Technically, Brooklyn is known as "Kings County," and Manhattan and New York City are known as "New York County." Staten Island is known as "Richmond County." These counties make up the New York metropolitan area.