A day in court often revolves around waiting, as public defenders, judges, and defendants anticipate critical decisions that affect lives. At San Francisco's Hall of Justice, daily court activities may seem trivial to outsiders, yet for those involved, the stakes are very real. Observations reveal the building's somber atmosphere, where even small successes—like congratulatory remarks from judges or short reunions with loved ones—can brighten the day. This facility serves as a central hub for adult criminal cases in San Francisco, highlighting the human experience behind legal proceedings.
"So much waiting," a public defender laughed on a recent Thursday.
Within the aging courtrooms at 850 Bryant St. increasingly resembling a set from a 1980s buddy cop movie, mothers, teenagers, and men in orange sweatshirts at San Francisco's Hall of Justice wait for decisions that will change their lives.
People there found moments worth waiting for, like congratulations from a judge, thanks from a client, or a fleeting glimpse of a loved one before the sheriff's deputy escorted them away.
Guards nonchalantly cycle the grey bins piled in the entranceway through a metal detector each time someone arrives.
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