Going to court in New York City probably isn’t your idea of a good time, and yet the city’s night court has become a tourist attraction in its own right.
Tourists from around the world – some armed with travel books that list NYC’s night court as a unique destination – are transfixed as they witness the American justice system in action, The Associated Press reports.
Perhaps visitors are hoping for a “Law and Order”-type experience, but alas the Manhattan Criminal Court’s nighttime docket isn’t meant to be entertaining. It’s a real court of law that hears and decides criminal cases. (There’s also a small-claims court that’s open Thursday nights, but that’s not the one where all the tourists go.)
So before you plan a visit to NYC’s night court, here are some facts you should know:
So before you add New York City’s night court to your travel itinerary, make sure to respect the court like any other tourist attraction and realize that being disruptive can result in legal consequences.
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Related Resources:
- Nocturnalist | Justice Is Served. For Some, as a Diversion. (The New York Times)
- Unhappy, Cursing Juror Fined $500 for Courtroom Outburst (FindLaw’s Legal Grounds)
- 5 Things You Shouldn’t Say to a Criminal Judge (FindLaw’s Blotter)
- Is Judge Judy a Real Court? Top 3 ‘Secrets’ of TV Judge Shows (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)
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