All eyez on the Court

Since I was young, my dream was to become a lawyer. I loved MatLock and would watch it everyday. The suspicion and thrill one has during a court case was so exciting to me that I choose it to be my career. In the process of studying for the LSAT and keeping my G.P.A high,I am also doing an internship. I intern at the Superior court of San Jose. I have several locations in which I can gain knowledge of the court system. I fluctuate from one center to another on a weekly basis, which allows me to gain knowledge in every aspect of civil law. I have gained experience in the following: family law, divorce, adoption, eviction, and restraining orders. The self help centers in San Jose are there to help citizens who are in great need of legal advice. Citizens that cannot afford an attorney often come to us for help and advice on filing a case. Working as an intern, I usually help the customers fill out their " intake forms" which are procedural paper work that all plaintiffs need to file before starting a legal case. I usually help them with their declaration of judgement which is basically a statement that the customer has to make in order to sell it to the judge. Judges make their decisions off of these declarations to see if the case is even valid to move further into the hearing and trail portions.
The internship is great. However, it is not a paid internship so it seems like a waste. On the contrary, the experience that I am receiving from this internship is going to further my knowledge in the legal field. I also believe this internship would better my chances of getting into a good law school. However, the most difficultly thing to handle at court is the terrifying stories that are being told to you. When I go to help a customer out, they often have to tell me their story and what happened to them. Especially when customers come into get restraining orders on another person. Mothers tell me about their abusive husbands and sons, while daughters tell me about their abusive boyfriends or dads. Sometimes, the stories become so overwhelming that I have to excuse my self from the customer in order to get a break. Working in the legal profession is not just working to give people advice, but it is also working to help and understand people in extreme need for comfort and support.