Are You Crazy? He's only an Intern Lawyer?-Chapter 28 - Selected as a Juror, Zhang Wei Comes to Ask Questions

As a criminal defense lawyer, he had seen too many suspects.

Those who stood in court and knew they had committed crimes often had regret, unease, panic, or even anger in their eyes.

If they didn’t know they had committed a crime, their eyes would show surprise, suspicion, or even incredulity.

But this suspect’s eyes were different from any of those; they looked as though…

He knew he had made a mistake, but didn’t think he had done anything wrong!

“Heh, this is getting interesting!”

In just that moment, Zhang Wei knew there was something unusual about this trial.

“Zhang, did you notice something?”

To his side, Zhao Qingyan seemed to sense something and asked quietly.

“Uncle Zhao, we’re just potential jurors, not the prosecution or defense, what can we do even if we did notice something?”

Zhang Wei, however, just spread his hands, indicating he didn’t want to get involved.

He was neither a public prosecutor nor a defense attorney representative, and he might well not be selected as a juror, so what had this case to do with him?

“Maybe…” Zhao Qingyan nodded, also feeling that now was not the time to discuss this.

Soon, the prosecution had explained the case, and now the juror selection began.

“Juror candidates number 1 to 30, please come forward!”

Following the judge’s orders, Zhao Qingyan and Zhang Wei could only stand up and walk toward the juror seating area.

Zhao Qingyan was number 27, and Zhang Wei was number 28, just within the first thirty.

“I hope the prosecutor is professional, I hope the defense lawyer is also strong, so I can get out of this quickly!”

Watching the defense lawyer slowly approach, Zhang Wei hoped inside that he would be screened out quickly.

“May I ask, what is your profession?”

The defense lawyer’s first question left Zhang Wei speechless inside.

“Amateur lawyer, don’t you even do a background check?

The court should have preference sheets to look at, right?”

He was speechless inside, with no expectations for the trial anymore.

As for why he felt this way, it was naturally because the first question the defense lawyer asked was exceedingly trivial.

Before the trial, the list of jurors would be submitted into the hands of both the prosecution and defense lawyers.

A good criminal defense lawyer would perform a background check on the jurors the moment they received the list.

The lawyer who asked that question clearly hadn’t done any such groundwork.

“I work as a nursing aide in a convalescent home.”

“I’m an insurance salesman.”

“I’m a teacher, I teach elementary school math.”

“I’m a freelancer, part-time illustrator; I do illustrations for video games from home.”

“I’m a pastry chef in a cake shop.”

…

The potential jurors came from various industries, and the defense lawyer listened to each of their self-introductions.

“The defense requests that jurors 7, 15, 19, and 24 be excused,” the defense lawyer stated, without even asking a second question, relying on their professions to filter out some potential jurors.

“May I ask, what is your profession?” Soon, the lawyer had moved on to Zhao Qingyan.

“I’m a programmer.”

“Programmer, it seems you must be quite professional, sir.

May I know the size of the company you work for?”

“I work in the R&D department of Blacksmith Technology.”

“Blacksmith Technology!”

Upon hearing that Zhao Qingyan worked for Blacksmith Technology, whether it was the other jurors, or the attorneys for the defense and prosecution, they were all surprised.

Even the judge on the bench inadvertently looked up.

Blacksmith Technology, with a market value of over a hundred billion, is the leading high-tech company in Dongfang Capital and even in the Southern region.

Naturally, its reputation is enormous.

Just as the defense attorney wanted to say something, the prosecutor suddenly interrupted, “Your Honor, the prosecution accepts this juror!”

“Prosecutor, it is not your turn to speak yet.”

“Your Honor, the core of this trial is its professionalism.

Therefore, the prosecution believes the trial needs jurors like No.

27 to participate.

We request your approval!”

“Defense attorney, what do you say?”

The judge glanced at the defense attorney, and seeing that he was still hesitating, decisively announced, “No.

27 joins the jury.”

Zhao Qingyan glanced at Zhang Wei beside him, his gaze somewhat helpless.

He hadn’t even answered any questions and yet he was chosen.

The defense attorney was also somewhat helpless.

He had intended to screen out Zhao Qingyan, but the prosecution had caught him off guard.

“No.

28, you look quite young.

May I ask what your occupation is…”

“I am a senior student at a law school and have just completed the bar exam.”

Upon hearing this response, whether it was the defense attorney or the prosecutor, even the people in the jury box were slightly startled.

How come there was someone who studied law among the candidates?

However, since the defense attorney had just been trumped by the prosecution and was feeling a bit upset, he continued with a not-so-friendly tone, “Have you participated in any court trials?”

“Does a mock court in school count?”

“Of course, it doesn’t.”

“Then, no.”

Upon hearing Zhang Wei’s response, the anger in the defense attorney’s eyes dissipated, and his gaze even brightened a little.

“Your Honor, the defense accepts juror No.

28!”

“What’s up?”

Zhang Wei was completely bewildered, never expecting to be selected.

“Defense attorney, do you realize what you’re doing, letting a law school student participate in jury duty!” the judge said sternly in court.

“Your Honor, this student has only passed the bar exam and has not obtained professional qualification.

I believe he shares many similarities with my defendant, so I earnestly request that you keep this juror,” the defense attorney replied.

“Prosecution, what is your position?”

The prosecution thought for a moment and then nodded, “Since the defense attorney has made this request, we have no objection.”

Seeing both sides agree, the judge immediately hammered down, “No.

28, you stay as well.”

Zhang Wei: “???”

A few minutes later, the jury selection was complete, and the court session was scheduled for the next day.

Zhang Wei and Zhao Qingyan both became members of the jury, and Zhao Qingyan was even elected as the jury foreman.

The duties of the jury foreman weren’t difficult; he would ultimately read the judgment at the end of the trial.

As they left the city courthouse and got into the business car, Zhao Qingyan turned to Zhang Wei with a smile, “Xiao Zhang, I’m going to need your advice for this trial.

I’m just a techie; I don’t understand all this stuff.”

“I hope so.

I’m afraid the defense attorney might mess around and make it uncomfortable for me too…”

Zhang Wei felt a bitterness he couldn’t express.

He had never imagined that as a law school student, one day he would participate in a trial as a juror.

…

The trial began the next day.

As a prosecution case, the first to take the floor was the prosecutor, who needed to make an opening statement.

The prosecutor first clarified the facts: the defendant offered legal advice and provided legal guidance without a lawyer’s qualification, which constituted a serious act of fraud.

Then, he called the first witness, an investigator from the Martial Association who had arrested the defendant.

“Sun Ganyuan, where was the defendant when you arrested him?”

“He was in his own law office.”

“Does this office have a business license?”

“No, it’s an unlicensed street-front shop, located in the garage on the first floor of a residential building, without any license.”

“So Sun Ganyuan, how many times did the defendant pose as a lawyer?”

“Based on the known files, there are at least 19 times, and that doesn’t include some of the advice he gave to neighbors.”

“What kinds of cases did the defendant handle?”

“A lot, including brawls, traffic accidents, and even murder charges.”

“We already know the defendant doesn’t have a law degree.

So, according to your investigation, what level of education does the defendant have?”

“Based on the records from the Martial Association, the defendant dropped out of high school and self-taught all his legal knowledge online.”

“Oh, a high school education, huh?

That sure qualifies him to give professional advice.”

The prosecution was satisfied and exchanged a glance with Zhao Qingyan in the jury box, nodded, then walked back to their seat.

“I have no further questions.”

With the prosecution’s questioning over, the defense attorney approached the bench.

In the jury box, Zhao Qingyan made a slight motion to the person beside him—it was the seat of Zhang Wei.

“Xiao Zhang, what do you think?”

“Uncle Zhao, we need to see what questions the defense attorney asks—maybe they can change the minds of others.”

“Alright, let’s listen then.

But aside from me, it seems many people don’t have a good impression of the defendant.”

“Of course, who would like to be deceived?

The public doesn’t like that.”

Leaving aside the small exchange in the jury box, it was now the defense attorney’s turn to ask questions.

“Sun Ganyuan, I know you entered my client’s office and seized his records.

So, do you know what my client’s billing standards are?”

Sun Ganyuan was slightly stunned, but the prosecution’s attorney quickly stood up.

“I object, this question is irrelevant to the case.

Although the defendant’s fees are not high, this doesn’t prove that he hasn’t broken the law.”

“Objection sustained!” The judge nodded, then turned to the jury box, “The jury will please disregard the previous question.”

The defense attorney paused briefly, as if organizing their thoughts anew.

“Then, may I ask you, Sun Ganyuan, during your investigation of my client, did you notice what kind of people his clients are?”

“What do you mean by asking this question?” Sun Ganyuan was somewhat surprised and didn’t know how to respond.

“You see, my client mainly represents some poor people in their lawsuits; he has never served any wealthy clients.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wei in the jury box’s eyes lit up as he finally caught the underlying story of the case.

“I object, this question is also irrelevant to the case!” The prosecution stood up again at that moment.

“Objection sustained, defense attorney, please do not make me issue a third warning!” The judge’s expression hardened, and their gaze turned stern.

Interrupted again, the defense attorney opened their mouth subconsciously but was at a loss for words.

The judge glanced at them, “Counsel, do you have any other questions?”

There was silence for a while, clearly indicating they had no follow-up.

“Your Honor!”

Just then, Zhang Wei from the jury box stood up.

All eyes in the courtroom turned to the jury box, and next to them, Zhao Qingyan was also unsettled, thinking to himself what is Xiao Zhang doing—why would a juror stand up?

“Juror number 28, what are you attempting to do?”

“Your Honor, according to Dongfang Capital’s court regulations, jurors have the right to question witnesses.

I would like to exercise my fundamental right.”

“Your Honor, surely this is against the rules!” The prosecution stood up again, their expression uneasy.

After a moment’s hesitation, the judge finally nodded, “The court rules of Dongfang Capital do indeed permit jurors to ask questions.”

The prosecution sat down, resigned.

Zhang Wei, under the scrutiny of the entire courtroom, turned to Sun Ganyuan.

“May I ask, Sun Ganyuan, the defendant has provided a lot of legal aid and advice, and you’ve seen all the records, haven’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Has the defendant ever lost a lawsuit?”

“The defendant has settled some cases and won others, with no record of a loss.”

“Then, among the clients the defendant has served, has anyone ever complained about him?”

“To my knowledge, there is no such record.”

As Zhang Wei asked his questions, both the prosecution and the defense attorneys’ expressions changed, and the impostor lawyer at the defendant’s bench also looked slightly astonished.

These questions seemed to have a different effect.

Seeing Zhang Wei enquire like this made the prosecution uneasy.

“I object, Your Honor, these questions…”

“Your Honor, these questions are all fully relevant to the case.

The prosecution believes my client’s legal aid is illegal, and my questions are directly related to the legal aid provided by the defendant.”

But just as the prosecution objected, Zhang Wei preempted with his challenge.

“Objection overruled!” The judge glared at the prosecution, signaling Zhang Wei to continue.

“Thank you for your support, Your Honor!” Zhang Wei again turned to Sun Ganyuan, “May I ask, Sun Ganyuan, has the defendant ever promised to halt any legal aid work until he completes his education and obtains the relevant legal certifications?”

“Yes,” Sun Ganyuan nodded.

“One last question, how did the Martial Association and the prosecution discover that the defendant was an impostor lawyer?”

After thinking for a moment, Sun Ganyuan still answered, “He defended someone who was accused of murder, that… that was a false accusation.”

“Then I guess he won the case in that defense, right?”

Sun Ganyuan glanced at the prosecution and nodded helplessly, “Yes!”

Zhang Wei understood and said with a smile, “So an impostor lawyer won against the local Procuratorate’s Office, eh?

Then I guess it was after that case that the Procuratorate started prosecuting the defendant, right?”

“Objection!” The prosecution could not sit still any longer and protested loudly.

“Your Honor, I believe the reason for this lawsuit is exactly my earlier question, because the Procuratorate lost to the defendant in a case and therefore, they initiated an investigation against the defendant.

I think if the defendant had lost to the Procuratorate, they would not have paid attention to the defendant, nor would they have investigated his background, and this trial would not exist.”

“I have reason to believe that this is the prosecution being somewhat sore about losing a case, even though Sun Ganyuan has clarified that the original case was a false accusation.

The people from the Procuratorate felt they needed to save face.

Hasn’t everyone seen that this is a trial akin to ‘abuse of power’?”

Zhang Wei ignored the prosecution jumping anxiously and looked towards Sun Ganyuan in the witness stand.

“Maybe, I’m not clear!” Sun Ganyuan shook his head in response.

“Your Honor, I have no further questions,” but Zhang Wei was already quite satisfied, smiling and sitting back down in his seat.

In the sidelines, Zhao Qingyan quietly gave him a thumbs up, and the other jurors looked at him with surprise.

“Your Honor, I have no questions either!” The defense lawyer exchanged a glance with the defendant, both showing signs of joy in their eyes.

Only the prosecution, sat dispirited in his seat.

He always felt that this juror was no ordinary person, very extraordinary indeed.

After the adjournment.

“Xiao Zhang, your questioning today was brilliant.

With just a few simple questions, you’ve made me see some things!”

“Uncle Zhao, the trial isn’t over yet, and among us jurors, some still think the defendant is guilty.”

“But as far as I know, the defendant’s fees are very low, and the service is good, it would be a loss if such a person were sent to jail.”

“It’s not that I want him to go to jail, the defendant just needs one opportunity to convince the rest of the jurors.”

“Then why are you waiting here, are you planning to contact the defendant!”

Zhao Qingyan looked at Zhang Wei, somewhat astonished.

Both being jurors, they were not supposed to have contact with anyone involved in the case.

Zhang Wei was daring to do something against the rules!

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“Uncle Zhao, what are you saying?

Am I that kind of person?”

Zhang Wei quickly denied it, and then pointed to a person not far away, “Look, that’s the person I’m waiting for!”

From the first-floor bail courtroom, Zhang Hui walked out looking exhausted.

Zhang Wei revealed a smile and hurried over, “Senior Zhang Hui, I would like to ask for your help…”

…

The following day.

One hour before the court session.

The defendant arrived at the courtroom early today because it was the day his lawyer would give the closing argument.

Ding dong!

The elevator door opened, and the defendant stepped inside.

“Wait a moment!”

But just as the doors were about to close, Zhang Hui dashed in at the last moment.

“That was close, I finally made it!” Zhang Hui sighed with relief.

Then, as if she hadn’t noticed the defendant, she faced the elevator wall and began to speak to herself.

“A certain concerned citizen wanted me to pass a message to you, you have to show the jurors that even without a law license, you are still an excellent advocate, only then will the jurors believe in you.”

“What did you say?” The defendant was slightly stunned, finally realizing the words were intended for him.

After all, there were only two people in the elevator, Zhang Hui and himself.

“That concerned citizen also said, someone’s lawyer is a weakling, it’s better to take matters into your own hands than to rely on a weakling.

Instead of entrusting your hopes to a weakling, better to grasp it in your own hands.”

“But, I’m not a lawyer, how can I…”

“That person also said that Dongfang Capital has much more lenient regulations regarding courtroom procedures than many other places, and it doesn’t even stipulate that closing arguments must be made by a defense lawyer.

There’s also a saying, ‘anything not forbidden is permitted,’ you understand what that means, right?”

Zhang Hui spoke, and the elevator reached the third floor.

“Now, you’ve arrived at your destination!”

Upon Zhang Hui’s reminder, the defendant slowly walked out of the elevator, still a bit perplexed and confused.

But he knew who the person reminding him was.