The entertainment industry is make belief. Yes, we agree. But in making belief, it must comply with the customary standard of reality. Nollywood has grown remarkably but there are areas that they need to act on fast. Fortunately, these areas do not necessarily require funds to improve but just paying attention to details. If you are not producing a horror movie; human beings should at least walk on their feet not head. If it is not shrek you are producing, we should look like human beings. If the Character is a Doctor, please let the character look and act like a real Doctor. If the Character is a Lawyer, please let the Character be and act like a real lawyer and if the scene is a courtroom, Lawyers will appreciate that the courtroom is treated like a real court. Below courtroom mail has published things that irritate Nigerian lawyers the most about your Court scenes.
Looking for a Lawyer in Nigeria,Kenya,Uganda,Zimbabwe- click here
- Hello,if the offence is rape, it is a criminal offence. It cannot be a subject matter of Arbitration.
- There is no plaintiff in criminal trials. When next you are producing a movie that has a criminal trial going on, please note this. What we have are the Prosecutors, the complainants, the accused or defendant and the witnesses.
- There is a difference between a dock and a witness box. The accused person stays in the dock; the witness stays in the witness box. Not just that, in a criminal court, the dock stays in a particular position in a court while the witness box has its own position. Kindly find out yourself .
- Courtroom mail wants to make it clear that the Wig and gown has no place in the magistrate courts. Simply put, lawyers and magistrates do not robe in magistrate court.(In some states, the magistrates wear their gowns not wig)Again, magistrates popularly addressed as “your honour” or “your worship” preside in magistrate courts while Judges popularly addressed as “My lord” preside over High courts. We are yet to see a Supreme Court scene in Nollywood, Courtroom mail is watching. Until then, let me come and be going.
- Lawyers are not addressed as Barristers in Court. Judges or Magistrates do not address lawyers appearing before them as Barristers. They simply address them as Mr,Mrs or Miss.
6. See, for your information, there is a difference between a chorister’s gown and a Lawyer’s gown. If you wear a choir gown in your court scenes, we will know. Be careful.
7.“My Lord, I have served him with the exparte motion” Hey! Will you keep quiet!
Tony Atata for Courtroom mail
