March 26, 2018 at 10:40 am

Internship | Sociology-Criminology Major Interns at Athens County Common Pleas Court

a smiling Sarah Filippi sitting on concrete steps outside Athens courthouse

Sarah Filippi ’18

Sarah Filippi ’18 is a Sociology-Criminology major interning at the Athens County Common Pleas Court this semester.

Roberta Roberson, Coordinator of Sociology and Criminology internships, worked with Filippi to arrange this internship.

Before this internship, Filippi knew she wanted to pursue a career that would enable her to help others while upholding the law.

As an intern at the Athens County Court of Common Pleas, Filippi performs a variety of duties. Most of the tasks consist of administrative work due to the high volume of paperwork for each defendant. It is vital to demonstrate strong attention detail and possess excellent organizational skills in order to keep records in perfect order.

Why this Internship?

“Throughout my time at OHIO, I realized that law school will not be the future path I take,” Filippi says, “but I have found interest in another occupation, investigation. Investigation has always piqued my interest and although I don’t know what the future holds, I am confident that as long as that I am helping others with a job that deals with criminal law, I will be happy.”

The Best Part

“I enjoy the kindness and friendliness of my coworkers and appreciate their direction and support,” she says. “Without their hard work, I don’t believe the Athens courthouse could run as smoothly as it does.”

Although she still has weeks to go, she feels she has already obtained a great deal of knowledge regarding the courts and how important they are to the well-being of the communities they serve.

While being an intern at the Athens County courthouse, Filippi has encountered many interesting cases. She is drawn to criminal cases, so she appreciated having the opportunity to attend a criminal trial.

“Many people don’t have the chance to observe a trial, so I was so thrilled with the opportunity to have this experience during my internship,” she says.

She describes trials as quite time-consuming, but necessary when making an important and well thought-out decision that is potentially life changing. Filippi found the emotions in the courtroom overwhelming, even as a spectator.

What she really enjoys about working in the Athens courthouse is that every case is different and unique.