State Your Name For The Record

Featured

Getting To Know Me…

My name is Rachel Sherman. I am a senior at Rutgers University, where I am majoring in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology. I am 21 years old. I enjoy spending time with friends and family, playing and cuddling with my dog, and making memories throughout. Some of my interests include watching Grey’s Anatomy, Law and Order: SVU, Game of Thrones (sadly, it has ended), Impractical Jokers, crime documentaries, and Food Network shows. I like to workout at the gym, take yoga classes, enjoy outdoor adventures and activities, read, and listen to music. I love to cook and bake, and have been taught professionally by respected chefs. In fact, I went to culinary school for freshman year at Johnson & Wales University. Rutgers has prepared me for what being an adult in the ‘real’ world is going to be like, and it has influenced my decision to begin a career in the criminal justice field.

Photos of Who’s Who in the Courtroom

Defense Attorney
Court Clerk
Court Officers
Prosecutor
Judge
Police Officers
Newark Municipal Court

Internships

I have had two internships this summer, and they both have given me an inside look toward what I may like to pursue for my career post-graduation.

My first internship was at Wynona’s House: Child Advocacy Center in Newark, NJ. I engaged in multidisciplinary team meetings which included: Metro Regional Diagnostic Treatment (RDTC), Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P) Medical, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (ECPO), and an organization that works with child sex offenders (WISE).

My second internship is through Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka’s College Youth Program. I was selected for an exciting intern position in Newark Municipal Court’s Prosecutor’s Office. From Monday through Friday, I work half a day in the courthouse. I am in criminal court, which also includes traffic every weekday, but I get to explore other court rooms within the jurisdiction. I have the privilege to meet talented and experienced personnel, which include: prosecutors, judges, court administrators, police officers, and other important individuals within the broader court systems. After observing the court’s structure and its procedures, I’ve discovered that this is something that I want to be a part of in a future career. My goals after graduating are to obtain a Paralegal certificate. I am not ready to go to law school directly after graduating college, but it is something that I would like to pursue in the future; I am interested in first becoming a Paralegal, then a Defense Attorney, in either Criminal or Family Law.

Links

https://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/committees/woman-advocate/practice/2018/bench-trial-tips/

This link examines bench trial succession (without a jury) and how the defendant and/or plaintiff can listen to the judge and use his/her to their advantage in closing a case.

This video consists of an Alaskan court outline of what happens before, during, and ending of a court hearing or trial hearing.

https://www.legalmatch.com/famous-court-cases.html

This link lists the most popular cases that have evolved our court system and shaped our society all together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttv-B0aYuzo

Candy Mossler was one of my cousins on my mother’s side. She is known as a socialite who was suspected of murdering her millionaire-bounty husband and having an affair with her nephew. She and her late husband are buried next to each other in Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, VA.

https://njcourts.gov/public/process.html?lang=eng

This site lists what is included when it comes to the New Jersey Court System and how vital it is when it comes to our legal system in the Garden State.

https://www.lawdepot.com/contracts/groups/?loc=US#.XT43Vy3MzOQ

This is a site that you can look up all forms and documents regarding the legal system. If you move your computer’s mouse over the names of the documents, it tells you what it entails.

https://www.state.nj.us/corrections/pdf/vtc_information/VTC_Overview.pdf

This link provides the information about teleconferencing with inmates while in custody. The technology use gives inmates an opportunity to hear if they will be released any time soon, receive their next court date, and speak with their public defender.

Philosophy

This site will describe what is observed in an open court. Here, you will get more insight into what I experience when I go to work. Also, if you have never been to court or only have views related from the media, this is the raw truth.

Why I decided to create this website: Since I am an avid viewer of crime documentaries and crime television series, my only perspective was reflected from watching or reading about court hearings and trials. Well, let me tell you…it is a whole other world, when sitting in court. This site will educate about what my position is in the court room.

The reason why I wanted to gain education and knowledge in the criminal justice field is because I was always interested in the dynamics of a criminal and making a difference in this world. I knew that my job will not just benefit myself, but benefit others. Since, the criminal justice system is a controversial topic, I would like to be a part of a generation that can alter the system in a more positive and just way. The criminal justice system is a complicated structure that has been in the news lately because of its unfair and cruel treatment towards defendants, as well as, victims.

Something that I want to be able to change about the system is the fact that sexual assault victims are not receiving restitution. When it comes to the punishments of the offenders, they are not proportioned to the crime itself.

This site will detail what kind of work I perform in the courthouse and what my position is in the court room!