When you go into court you are putting your fate into the hands of twelve people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty. -- Norm Crosby A jury consists of twelve persons chosen to decide who has the better lawyer -- Robert Frost I do not say that all lawyers are bad, but I do maintain that the general tendancy is bad: standing up in a court for whichever side has paid you, affecting warmth and conviction, and doing everything you can to win the case, whatever your private opinion may be, will soon dull any fine sense of honor. The mercenary soldier is not a valued creature, but at least he risks his own life, whereas these men merely risk their next fee. -- Stephen Maturin, Ship's Surgeon and friend of Captain Jack Aubrey, in Patrick O'Brian's famous historic novels of the Bristish Navy in the 1800's |