Dream of: 13 January 1996 "Clitoris"
I had decided to be the attorney for someone charged with a criminal offense. I hadn't handled a criminal case in quite a while and I didn't feel fully prepared to become involved in this one. However I was interested in the subject matter of the case and therefore thought I would be able to thrust myself into it.
The fellow whom I would be defending had been charged with obscenity. All the details weren't yet clear to me, but I knew the fellow had made a movie, and in the movie he had used the word "clitoris." Apparently my client had previously written a book on which the movie was based, and he had also used the word "clitoris" in the book, with no resulting problems, since it was legal to use the word "clitoris" in writing. The problem had only arisen when the word was used in a movie.
I knew my client had made several movies, and each succeeding movie had become more daring – some might even say more rank, but I was unswayed by any argument for censorship, and I thought my client, or anyone else for that matter, should be able to say whatever they wanted to in a movie. I particularly found it ridiculous to say that the word "clitoris" was obscene. What was a clitoris anyway? – just a pudgy piece of flesh.
My main problem with the case was that I had had no time to prepare. I walked into the courtroom with the judge who would be presiding over the case. He was a young man, probably in his thirties, and I had practiced in his courtroom before. We were on a friendly basis and I was glad he would be the judge in this case.
When we entered the courtroom, I saw that another trial was in process, and I remembered that this courtroom was used by three different judges who took turns using it. I was somewhat relieved when I saw another trial taking place because I thought that would mean my case wouldn't be reached today. And if the present case did end today, I would insist that I be allowed to pick a different jury. I wouldn't allow the judge to force me into using a jury which someone else had picked. I knew working with the jury was my greatest strength. I always had had a knack for developing rapport with members of juries, and I knew that rapport was begun in the early selection process. I rested my greatest hopes in this case on my ability to communicate with the jury, confident that even being unprepared as I was, I would still be able to sway the jury.
However I still hoped I wouldn't have to go to trail today. I wasn't even dressed properly. I was wearing my brown leather shoes, and I knew I should be wearing a pair of black shoes if I were going to go in front of a jury.
