Many Americans love to watch the crime dramas of Hollywood, and vicariously take part in the dramatized TV world of the US court system. However, Godwin senior Madison Bradley got the opportunity to experience court life first-hand.

Over the past month, Bradley interned at the Virginia State Corporation Commission under Virginia Judge, Mark C. Christie.

“I did not serve a particular purpose for Judge Christie. Rather, the internship was more of a learning experience for me,” said Bradley.

Bradley’s job was similar to that of a clerk. She had to review a case Christie was assigned to, attend the hearing for the case, and write a ten-page paper analyzing the case.

Bradley obtained the internship by chance. Originally, Bradley had met with Christie to interview him about Wake Forest University, a college Bradley is considering applying to and a college Christie attended.

“My dad works with Judge Christie, so I decided to interview him about Wake Forest, one of the colleges I’m applying to. At the end of the interview, he offered me the internship,” said Bradley.

The case Bradley reviewed was on Dominion Power’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), a plan that proposes how Dominion will reach its energy needs for the next 30 years.

Dominion’s IRP was under review due to the Clean Power Plan (CPP) being upheld by the Supreme Court. The CPP set a national limit on the amount of carbon pollution produced at power plants.

“The proposal of the IRP was made more complicated due to Dominion needing to comply with the new regulations of the Clean Power Plan,” said Bradley.

Prior to the hearing, Bradley had to review direct testimonies of witnesses, read an overview of the case, and analyze all of the rebuttals.

Although Bradley found the hearing to be a little bit dull, she was fascinated with the interactions between the lawyers and how they would prove their points.

After the hearing, Bradley had to write a ten-page paper, providing an overview for the case, and analyze the persuasiveness of the lawyers and the quality of their work.

“The internship was very valuable. I learned a lot about the law process. It was an interesting experience to work in that particular professional environment,” said Bradley.

Bradley does not plan to study law in college. However, she does plan to study international business and hopes her experience with the State Corporation Commission will help her with that line of work.

“I found a new appreciation for law. I learned a lot about the topic the case was on, which I would not have known about without the internship. Although I do not want to study law in the future, it was important to be a citizen and partake in this aspect of society,” said Bradley.