On Thursday, November 14, 2013, I attended municipal court at the Mario E. Ramirez Detention Center. From 1pm to 4pm I saw my brother and other minors convicted for various reasons. As my first time attending juvenile court, I was shocked due to the parents' reactions, Judge Jesse Contreras' rulings, the judge's impact, and the overall court situation. Before the court began, the parents, some not all, talked to each other about their children and other topics. In my case, my mother along with only four other mothers were sitting. Parents who didn't speak English (most of them) had to wait with the interpreter. When the judge enters everyone falls silent and the trial begins. If the next child is a relative of someone in the audience, the relative must stand behind the child. I have seen many cases. A girl spoke badly of her grandmother (she did not comment on the swear words used), skipped school to go with her boyfriend, who was older than her, and argued. After being sentenced, she started screaming, “Tell him, Grandma ...