As you know, I live on the  cutting edge of lawyer fashion, and therefore share some of my insights with those whose attire is less than (uggh) spiffy in the hope that you too can practice law in sartorial splendor like me.  But many lawyers take for granted that while we are under the fashion microscope whenever we step into the courthouse, we are not alone.

San Diego, according to UPI, is a particularly tough place when it comes to courthouse nattiness for all the players in the system.  Ordinarily, the dress for jurors runs the gamut, from suits and ties to dungarees and Ts.  After all, it’s not like courts are inclined to chase potential jurors away, particularly since they are good Americans who have come to do their duty for democracy.

Except for Timothy “Fuzzy” Timms and Mick Rush.  Fine Americans both, they appears at San Diego Superior Court ready to serve.  And were summarily subject to the commands of the fashion police:

Hells Angels members Timothy “Fuzzy” Timms and Mick Rush said sheriff’s deputies escorted them from the San Diego Superior Court’s Hall of Justice after they reported for jury duty and refused orders from the deputies to remove their leather vests, which bear the club’s “death’s head” insignia, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Tuesday.

After all, there was nothing on the jury summons that said people wearing “colors” need not attend. 

If they were Masons (or Jesters for that matter), and wore a pin or tie tack with their club’s insignia, they would not only have been given a warm welcome, but would possibly have exchanged secret handshakes with the judge.  Why single out the Hell’s Angels for their fashion attack?

It turns out it was all a big mistake, however, by over-zealous vest-haters at the gate.

A court spokeswoman said the Superior Court and the Sheriff’s Department apologized to the two men, saying the ejection was the result of deputies and court officials “misunderstanding” an April 24 order by Superior Judge Jeffrey Fraser.

“He (the judge) does have a case before him involving Hells Angels members and his order applies only to that case and to his courtroom, not to the entire courthouse,” court spokeswoman Karen Dalton said.

Well, you know how confusing those court orders can be, making it nearly impossible for the fashion police to distinguish between your basic motorcycling juror and defendants on trial.

“She apologized and said they were embarrassed, and she sounded very sincere,” Timms said of jury services manager Terri Brewton. “I told her I did not have any complaint about jury officials, but rather I was embarrassed to be surrounded by six deputies and told I had to leave because of my attire.”

That’s right.  Even Hell’s Angels members have feelings, you know.  After all, it’s not like these guys showed up wearing ascots. 

It leaves me to wonder, of course, whether any apology was offered to those defendants picking juries who were denied two fine citizens, just trying to do their duty, as a result of another courthouse fashion faux pas.