So, you’re interested to know how a good law firm in Malaysia works. You’re asking yourself if there is a way for you to look at the different court cases in the said country. Well, you are actually allowed to watch live court trials as it is part of the law of the land.
According to Section 15 of the Court of Judicature Act of 1964, all court hearings, especially for criminal and civil cases, should be open to the public. This is especially true when it is advantageous for the public to know if justice was served or if it serves the best interest of all of the parties involved.
Basically, the law tells you that you are legally able to watch any court trial you are interested in. This makes for a very exciting proposition, given that actual trials are much more exciting to watch than those portrayed on TV.
Court Schedule
Well, the first thing that you can do to find out specific schedules would be to visit the official website of the Office of Chief Registrar Federal Court of Malaysia. From there, go to the ‘cause list’ option and then search through its extensive database for any hearings that could have potentially piqued your interest.
It is important for you to remember that the schedules that can be seen on the website are subject to change without prior notice due to unforeseen circumstances. In the event that such things happen, the court hearing may be postponed- either to a later time or a later date.
If you want to get the most up to date schedules, you can go to any court in Malaysia and look for the court trial schedules there.
Some Courts Are Not ‘Open’
Even though the law mandates that court trials can be seen by the public, there are certain exceptions to this rule. If the cases that are going to be tried involve sexual offenses or those that involve minors, then they are generally closed to the public. The only people who can enter are the parties that are involved in the case.
This is actually done as a way to protect the privacy of the minors and those who were sexually abused. This is further reinforced by Section 12, Article III of the Childs Act of 2001, where only the officers or members of the court are allowed inside (as well as the witnesses, guardians, or parents of the child or victim/s).
What Should You Wear in Court?
Here is a brief guideline:
- Men should wear either a plain shirt or a white long sleeve coupled with a tie and dark-colored slacks. They are also advised to wear black formal shoes to go with the attire.
- Women are advised to wear either plain long sleeve or white collared blouse with long skirts (that should be below the knee) that are paired with black formal shoes.
It is important to note that you are not allowed to wear informal clothing such as short pants or miniskirts, sunglasses, jeans, slippers, helmets, or any bright-colored clothing that is coupled with sparkling jewelry.