I had to do a signing of divorce papers in a county jail last year. The husband was in jail on drug charges, in the maximum security section. I had to make an appointment to visit the jail, and I had to bring my ID and original State of California Commission Certificate and NNA membership card. I was escorted to a small room with a heavy window between us and the guard stayed next to me while I talked to the prisioner and looked at his jail ID wrist band containing his name and jail ID number. Then I went to another room where they brought the prisoner in wearing handcuffs to sign my journal and the divorce documents. The guard was there all the time. There was nothing in the room except a steel table with two steel chairs bolted to the floor. The room is used by the prisoner and his attorney for conferences.
I was scared out of my mind until he was locked back up away from me behind a steel door. Then I was released from the room and was able to walk what seemed to be a mile down a locked hallway to get to the reception area where I checked out with the guards and left the jail.
It was weird from start to finish. Later in the day I met the soon to be ex-wife and gave her the papers her husband signed in the jail. My first and probably my last jail visit. |
