Trial of Tears

Hey! I was going through your portfolio because I follow you and stuff and I saw this only had two reviews, which isn't uncommon, it's just kinda unfortunate, so I'm gonna do the usual paragraph by paragraph thing them give my general opinions at the end, m'kay, let's go.

"It was an accident. They had to believe her. They had to. "

Wonderful opening line! It vaguely establishes the main characters inner conflict while starting the readers right off the bat with questions. What was an accident? Why do they have to believe her? What if they don't? The like. Very good.

"As she sat in the courtroom, head in her hands, the memory came flooding back. They were home alone, a feat not uncommon in their busy lives. Their mom had been busy at one of her countless jobs and their father, well, let's just say he hadn't been home in a while, not since her little brother was born. "

Most people don't notice transitions unless they're looking for them, because if they do notice, there's something wrong with the story. I would never have noticed this one if I hadn't read through it three times, the third time actively looking for your transitions (I'm really through on shorter works). The way you describe it brings this picture into my head much like the one I get when I read or listen to "The Magicians Nephew" by C.S. Lewis, at the part where Diggory puts on his ring for the first time and is about to emerge from the pool. It's like looking at a blurry image through water, that gets clearer and more detailed as you get closer and closer. I know that's weirdly specific, but I really like that affect so...yeah.

Moving on...

"And for once in her life, she did too. "

Perhaps more detail as to why she typically wouldn't want her mother around? I feel that when you return to the trial would be a golden opportunity to add such details. She could notably see her mother in the crowd of faces, "looking predictably..." you decide, how does the mother look at the sound of her daughter's conviction? How does she look into her daughter's distressed face? Her pleading eyes? It would only take a line or two and I feel it would nicely wrap up that otherwise poetic, but unnecessary detail.

"He tipped over the couch in a strange burst of strength and ran towards her. She had been terrified, not knowing what he was going to do. Her body reacted faster than her mind. She pushed him, not that hard, but hard enough. He gasped as he fell back, crashing into the table behind him, the lamp shattering as his body hit the floor. It was the last breath he ever took."

This is the weakest paragraph in the whole piece. It's not bad, mind you, just not as good as it could be. The use of the word 'strange' felt awkward, and I feel you could do better than that. Try to find a word that flows better there instead. You also didn't firmly establish the placement of the furniture, so quickly editing the table behind him in my mind was slightly jarring. Otherwise, this was rather well written.

"The police had found her, blood spattered across her body, collapsed against a tree in the woods. And now, here she sat, surrounded by witnesses, neighbors and family as a group of strangers decided her fate. "

I can't place it, but something feels like it's...missing, here. Like there was a line removed or something. I don't know what you could possibly do to fix it, but maybe you could figure out what that thing is? I don't know, moving on.

"Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. "guilty." The gavel echoed through the room."

I can hear this line and it's wonderful. I have nothing else to say, this was just great.

"It was an accident, and no one but her would ever know. "

It's a nice closing line, but I have two things to say. First, as someone whose mother has been in many a courtroom (she's a nurse for people who can't take care of themselves for one reason or another, typically linked to a disabling injury of some kind), this story had me thinking about all the witness statements and such that she would have put forward. She would have at least been provided a lawyer who would speak for her, even if she was advised not to speak for herself, and that lawyer, if they possess half a brain, would definitely use the story from her perspective to try to avoid or lower the sentence. Honestly, I'm not even sure what the rules would be for minors in this situation, but I'm going to handwave that because it's called fiction for a reason. I'm pretty sure the second point was already covered somewhere in that muck, but it's basically, if she used her side of the story to argue her case, because, well, that IS her case, why did she lose?

Those last parts I'm completely willing too and already have handwaved because that's just me being nitpicky with the little bits of courtroom mumbo-jumbo that my mother talks about having to sit throughfor one reason or another. It's not important, because this is a short story at the moment. Were you to turn this into a full novel, things would need a bit more explanation, not much, but some. But for now it's wonderful.

The writing was amazing, the wording was great. And you described her emotions well. Its making me kind of upset, imagining this happening to me... Its scary, really. There were two problems I had though.
First, it was kind of rushed, especially the part with the court, I'd have loved to see her try to defend herself, though that might have slowed down the plot, it might have risen the stakes, with her desperately trying to convince them she didn't mean to.
Second, This one is to do with the title, I don't think it fit well, maybe something like, 'The accident' or 'It was a Accident' Those are just suggestions off the top of my head, you don't have to do them.
However, overall, the piece was a beautiful one, and I was near tears when it ended. (Or maybe I'm just really sensitive) Pat yourself on your back for a job well done.

And as always, keep writing!

Katness here
This review is not intended to offend you or make your work seem bad, be warned though you may find certain things offensive if so sorry. This is not my intention.
Style and Grammar
Let's start of with this sentence
They were home alone, a feat not to uncommon in their busy lives.
First off to might be in it's incorrect form. Don't you think too would fit better? Or else just remove that to. The sentence I think sounds better without it.
Also I think you are telling way to much. I'll use this sentence
It was just the two of them and on that day, Josh had been in a particularly rough mood. He didn't like the food she made, refused to listen to anything she said and had become fond of smashing just about everything in his path. Each attempt to calm the seven year-old had ended in more bruises and scratches on her arms.
You should go into more detail. How did he reject her food? What things did he smash? What did he do when she tried to calm him? Try to answer these questions
Who did it
Why when and where and how?
Also I think you need more description of her surroundings. Is she sitting? What is the mood of the room? What is she thinking? I think you for got to capitalize ''Guilty.'' When someone is speaking the first letter of what there saying should be in caps.
Hope this helps!
Katness