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           Whatalsohappens,though,isthattherearesomejudgeswho’llturnmedowninadvance,andthat’sworse.I’llcertainlymakeseveralattempts,butstill,we’llhavetoforgetaboutthem,butatleastwecanaffordtodothatasnoonejudgecanpassthedecisiveverdict.ThenwhenI’vegotenoughjudges"signaturesonthisdocumentItakeittothejudgewho’sconcernedwithyourcase.Imightevenhavehissignaturealready,inwhichcasethingsdevelopabitquickerthantheywoulddootherwise.Buttherearen’tusuallymanyholdupsfromthenon,andthat’sthetimethatthedefendantcanfeelmostconfident.It’sodd,buttrue,thatpeoplefeelmoreconfidenceinthistimethantheydoafterthey’vebeenacquitted.There’snoparticularexertionneedednow.Whenhehasthedocumentassertingthedefendant’sinnocence,guaranteedbyanumberofotherjudges,thejudgecanacquityouwithoutanyworries,andalthoughtherearestillseveralformalitiestobegonethroughthere’snodoubtthatthat’swhathe’lldoasafavourtomeandseveralotheracquaintances.You,however,walkoutthecourtandyou’refree.""So,thenI’llbefree,"saidK.,hesitantly."That’sright,"saidthepainter,"butonlyapparentlyfreeor,toputitabetterway,temporarilyfree,asthemostjuniorjudges,theonesIknow,theydon’thavetherighttogivethefinalacquittal.Onlythehighestjudgecandothat,inthecourtthat’squiteoutofreachforyou,formeandforallofus.