Top 5 Things That Might Surprise You About Your Day in Court

When we prepare our clients for trial, often it is their first experience in court. The unknown can be scary! Here are five things that might surprise you when you appear in court for your personal injury trial:

1. There may be other trials scheduled for the same time as yours

It is very common for multiple trials to be set at the same time before one judge, especially in the district courts of Maryland. This means that you may have to wait for the judge to listen to one or two other trials before you get your day in court. This may also mean that you end up spending an entire day at the courthouse rather than just a few hours like you might have planned.

2. Your case may get postponed, even if everyone is ready to go to trial

If a judge has too many cases on his or her schedule for the day, rather than having the parties to a case wait at the courthouse all day, a judge may postpone your trial to another day. This can happen even if all parties and witnesses are present. This can be particularly frustrating if you have taken a day off of work to attend your trial.

3. The line to get through security may take 30 minutes (or more)!

Now that courthouses are open and functioning at almost the same capacity as before the pandemic, the line to get through security and into the courthouse for your hearing can take more than you might expect. We recommend arriving at the courthouse more than 30 minutes before your hearing to ensure enough time to make it through security and to find your courtroom before the judge takes the bench!

4. The courtroom may be packed (or completely empty)

In 2020 and 2021, the halls of courthouses were almost entirely empty except for courthouse staff. However, beginning in 2022 and continuing into 2023, the courthouses are starting to fill up again and courtrooms are returning to their pre-pandemic audiences. It is important to remember that while your trial is happening, there may be people sitting and watching your case or people entering and exiting the courthouse. However, there is also a chance that the courtroom you are assigned is entirely empty besides the parties, the judge, and the courthouse staff!

5. The judge may ask you questions specifically

Before, during, or after your trial the judge may ask you additional questions about your case. This may be to clarify something that you or your attorney said or because the judge would like additional information about the case. Bulman Dunie attorneys are here to guide our clients through each step of the way and to make sure that there are no surprises. Reach out to attorney Liz Farley at (301) 656-1177 or lfarley@bulmandunie.com if we can help you!