Genuine Court-stylee question

I've had professional reason to spend time in courts, including all the way up to the Lords (this was pre-Diana Ross days; and yes we won that case, and most of the others too, against HMG).

In each of the HC, CoA and HoL there were some rather odd people who sat at the front, under the beak, looking forwards.

One of them spent about three hours on a Just 17 crossword, or similar.

None of them seemed to actually do anything in particular which was relevant to the case.

Who are they? Are they from some lost People who have been trapped in the building since Time Immemorial and are gently tolerated by the legalati? Taking the number of courts in the building, I'd be very happy to fax across the solution to the Just 17 crossword each morning for a modest fee if it would save expense on otherwise bored-looking near-teens?

Posted By: Old Man, Apr 1, 22:35:33