The Honorable Judge Scott Miller was the guest of the Rose Cafe event this week. I was very interested to hear more about the judicial process, an area that I am not familiar with. Some of the main topics discussed included the balance between morality, prejudice, and law in the judicial system. One of the topics discussed was the importance of the jury members in the outcome of a case. For example, having more men or more women on a jury panel could affect their final decision. This brings up an interesting discussion on what types of members should be chosen for the jury. According to Judge Miller, having more women on a jury for a defendant that is a woman is not advantageous for the defendant. This was unexpected to me and it was a learning experience to hear more about the nuances of the judicial process, which I have not considered before. 

Judge Miller also presented different examples of cases he has worked on as a lawyer and cases that he has facilitated as a judge to give clear illustrations of his points. These cases were also quite interesting to hear about, since news sites tend to report only large and controversial cases rather than the more common cases that occur day to day. I thought this was particularly engaging, since I was able to hear more about the typical judicial process rather than the theatrical perspective that is presented in movies or in highly publicized cases. 

In addition, Judge Miller also discussed the dilemma of defending someone who seems like they are clearly guilty from the evidence presented. By law, every person is allowed the chance to be defended in court and judged by their peers. However, it can be difficult for an attorney to defend someone who seems so clearly guilty. I thought this was an interesting topic of discussion and also a virtue of the American judicial system. Even though someone may seem guilty, the real truth could be discovered through the process of the trial. Judge Miller also talked about the government system as a whole and how the judicial system is an important part of maintaining balance and order in the nation. I thought that this event was a great way to learn more about the judicial system and to understand more about the process of law from a Judge currently practicing law. I think that it is valuable for all Americans to have knowledge about the judicial system and how it may affect us. I believe that this Rose Cafe event was a great way to learn more about law and has broadened my understanding of the American judicial system in general.