Rarely have I felt as fancy as I did last week when I drove up to the guards' booth at the Louisiana Supreme Court and the guards greeted me by name and ushered me down to basement parking.

First of all, basement parking less than three blocks from the Mississippi River in New Orleans, a city largely below sea level, took me by surprise. Driving down the ramp beneath the beaux arts-style, neoclassical building, I couldn’t help but think, as I eased my car underground, "Well, I hope it doesn't rain today."

I was on my way to meet Chief Justice John Weimer in his chambers — I had never met anyone in their "chambers" before.

The chief justice's chambers were, according to all sources, not in their typical state. Dozens of framed and unframed pieces were leaning against the walls and furnit

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