“They’re not more important than I am”

Excerpt from Gael, a family member of a victim and a defendant at the Hall of Justice in winter 2022.

Interviewer: [D]uring your time in court last week, did you have any issues with accessibility?

Gael: Um, accessibility? … I don't think with accessibility. I will say, you know, I know a lot of the times when you're like in the line to get into the courtroom and stuff like these district attorneys and these lawyers think they could just cut everybody else because, you know what, they have a right to like, you know. That's just kind of, for me, that just kind of it irritates me a little bit, because they just cut in front of everybody, you know? And I mean, that's certainly a matter of a personal opinion, but you know, it's just like they need to be waiting in the line just like everybody else because, you know, they're not more important than I am.

Interviewer: Mm hmm. So these DAs and lawyers cutting in line: does that make your time getting into court longer, or is it more of like a respect thing?

Gael: Yeah, definitely it’s longer. And it's also respecting, you know, but it does, it does make the line longer, especially if they're cutting, so.