Visible crew/equipment: Near the end of the episode when Harry says "there will be a 10 minute recess" a boom mic is visible.
Continuity mistake: In the first courtroom scene, Hacksaw is standing up twice.
Continuity mistake: In the first courtroom scene Sheila's briefcase opens and closes a couple of times between shots.
Answer: The jails are overcrowded, so any petty offenders whose case isn't heard by midnight will be let go. The defendant wants the details of his case read (Instead of just the typical summary of the case that Mack gives Harry) because he knows it'll take a while and run out the clock on the midnight deadline, also sparing him the grand jury trial. Dan speed-recites the document quickly enough for Harry to rule on the case and bang his gavel just at the stroke of midnight.
Captain Defenestrator