Please Help Me!

[dstephens2]

So, I am a musical theater writer. I am in the process of writing my second musical. I am attempting to write a courtroom scene to have one of the characters end up arrested. Should I bother (aka should I just have her get arrested by police on the spot, like in many shows), or should I write out the courtroom scene? If I write the court scene, should I really include all of the extra people, or should I keep it short and sweet?

In this scene, a woman is getting arrested for forcing an underage child (16 years old) to marry somebody of age. The government where this takes place isn't very organized, so she was able to get away with it at first.

I haven't written a court room scene before, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

~ David

[dramamama611]

People don't usually get arrested in court. They are in front of a judge/jury BECAUSE they were arrested. 

[haterobics]

Sounds like you need to sort out the actual legal issues and how it would play out first. As dramamama said, people don't get arrested in court. If anything, they can get handcuffed after being found guilty, but even then it usually isn't a surprise, they are already likely in jail at that point, so they are just being prepared to go back to jail. If they were out on bail, they usually walk out and have to return for sentencing, but it's all pretty standard based on the type of case and stature of the person involved, so easy to research.

Go read the Charlie or Groundhog Day threads, you don't want to get the details wrong, or else people will jump on it.

[dstephens2]

In reply to your help, haterobics and dramamama, I have written a scene in which she is arrested and switched a little bit of dialogue for before her trial. Is there any other vital part of court that I seem to be unaware of? I tried my best to reasearch it, but that doesn't mean that I caught everything (lol).

[javero]

There seems to be some missing context.  I'd encourage you to research the minimum age of consent and marriage for the jurisdiction and time-frame in which the scene is set.  Arguably, it's best not to leave that to chance or interpretation.  Laws and mores change over time.  I agree with the others that it's important to nail the details. 

[dramamama611]

In this country, most states DO allow one to marry at 16 with a parents consent.

 

from wikipedia:  Most states allow parties aged 16 and 17 to marry with parental consent alone. In many states, children under 16 can be married too, in special circumstances.

[dstephens2]

Yes, dramamama, that is true. However, in this specific case, the girl did not give consent, instead the woman forced it upon her, which is illegal in the place and time I have this written. I have figured it out, though, thank you all so much!