For the thrill of real-life drama, there’s nothing like being one of the... : COURT WATCHERS

When the old boys at the Van Nuys Courthouse trade war stories, recollecting their all-time favorites, the talk turns to stab wounds and tattoos, drug deals and death sentences.

J.W. Steele is the senior member here. A retired aerospace worker, he’s been prowling the courtrooms for 21 years. There’s also Bill Shussett, who’s been around for 17 years since he stopped working as an electrician, and another man referred to as the Pope because he blesses everyone. These guys are the regular court watchers at Van Nuys. They make a hobby of watching trials.

“A good trial is like a good detective novel,” Steele says, nodding with visible satisfaction. “I’ve probably seen 15 or 20 defendants sentenced to the chair.”

Indeed, this pastime can be lurid. And when the boys recall the trial of a dentist charged with sexually molesting his patients, or the rapist who got caught because of a peculiar tattoo on a particular portion of his anatomy, it might be easy to dismiss court watching as mere voyeurism.

But there’s more to it than that. Beneath all the gore--and the Latin and legalese--court watching offers a chance to see the law at work, an experience that can be, by turns, bewildering, exhilarating and frustrating. Given the intricacies of the American judicial system, it is often compelling.

At the very least, Judge John Fisher suggests, “it beats staying at home and watching the soap operas.”

The Van Nuys Courthouse is the biggest and busiest in the San Fernando Valley. A great deal of public attention was recently focused here during the murder trial of Lyle and Erik Menendez. But just because the trial has ended doesn’t mean that courthouse goings-on are any less interesting.

Van Nuys will grow even busier in coming months, as cases are transferred here from the San Fernando Courthouse, which will remain closed for up to a year because of earthquake damage. And even after the Menendez case becomes a faint memory, court officials and veteran watchers say, people who gained a taste for legal drama as a result of that proceeding will probably find even more interesting drama in less-celebrated trials.

Therein lies the key to court watching. This hobby demands a keen eye and patience. It’s all a matter of selection, the regulars say. They advise potential newcomers to know what’s going on in the courthouse and what makes for good viewing.

The Van Nuys Courthouse encompasses more than a dozen Superior Court departments on seven floors. Adjacent trailers will house San Fernando’s cases. And the Municipal Court building stands just across a promenade. On a given day, a half-dozen court watchers will roam the halls and walkways. Many are retired. Some are law students. Others simply have free time on their hands. They have learned the knack of sniffing out drama.

“We walk around the different courtrooms,” Shussett said. “We’re friendly with the district attorneys and the judges. They usually let us know what’s going on.”

Bailiffs represent another source of information. At Van Nuys, Deputy Sheriff Maurice Hill--the bailiff in Department P--is the one to see.

“I’ll let the guys know that there’s a good case in E or in F,” Hill said. “We also get a lot of students who like to sit in on court. I’ll give whatever information I have.”

Highly publicized trials provide juicy sound bites for the evening news, but often lousy viewing in person. They can plod along, weighed down by days, if not weeks, of closed hearings and expert testimony.

“As a rule, we don’t care for coroner’s reports or psychiatric reports,” Shussett said. “They get a psychiatrist up there and ask him about his credentials. That’s all you have to ask a psychiatrist--he’ll be on the stand for two or three days talking about himself. There’s not enough action for a day’s listening.”

Steele nodded in agreement. “We also don’t care for jury instructions.”

Interpreters, too, drag out the testimony.

“A lot of the time you form an opinion by someone’s tone of voice,” Steele said. “You lose that in translation.”

The lesser-known cases--be they for murder, medical malpractice or just divorce--represent the best bet.

Criminal cases begin with an arraignment and preliminary hearing, during which the defendant enters a plea and the prosecutor must provide enough evidence to have the case held over for trial. Such hearings can be of interest to novices, but veteran court watchers usually wait for the real thing.

Trials begin with opening statements by the prosecution and defense. These statements provide a useful indicator for choosy court watchers.

“Then you have an idea of what’s going on,” Shussett said.

From there, the prosecution presents its case, calling witnesses and submitting physical evidence. The attorneys’ strategies soon become apparent, and watching this chess match unfold can be every bit as fascinating as the facts of the case.

The action often moves at a deliberate pace. It can be like watching a no-hitter baseball game--the tension builds slowly. Shussett and Steele will nod their admiration for various questions asked by the attorneys, or shake their heads at what they believe are missteps.

Sometimes, the pace goes too slowly.

“Our biggest problem is falling asleep,” Steele said. “The bailiff had to wake us all up the other day.”

On a recent afternoon, he and Shussett walked into Department I to watch testimony in a murder trial. A man had been charged with killing a child during an alleged gang shootout in a public park.

“Is this the sleeping section?” Shussett asked the bailiff as he took a seat in the gallery.

She responded: “We’ll just throw stuff at you.”

During off moments, when the judge is in chambers or the court is waiting on clarification of some matter, the bailiffs are likely to chat with court watchers they recognize. The gossip may touch on various judges’ personalities or a particularly loud jury deliberation in a nearby courtroom.

“We’re all a family, to a degree,” Hill said. “The guys who come here all the time, I consider them as such.”

The attorneys, for their part, may participate in such small talk or ask for the court watchers’ opinions on how the trial is going.

“These guys are great,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Lester Kuriyama, one of the prosecutors in the Menendez case. “They’ve been around a long time. They know more about the judges and prosecuting attorneys and defense attorneys than anyone else.”

Kuriyama is a favorite among the Van Nuys court watchers. Knowing which attorney to watch is every bit as important as picking an interesting trial, they say.

“First of all,” Shussett said, “we like to be able to hear them.”

Some attorneys have a tendency to mumble, it seems. Others talk too much, slowing the proceedings with their objections and requests for conferences at “side bench,” which leaves watchers to wonder what is being whispered between the attorneys and the judge.

That is why judges are also a crucial consideration. Court watchers prefer a judge who keeps a tight rein on the attorneys, who limits the number of “side bench” discussions and the number of consultations in chambers.

“The interplay between the attorneys and the judges is important,” Steele said. “There’s quite often friction between them and that’s interesting when you pick up on it.”

Combine a dramatic case with two efficient attorneys and a judge who can keep the action rolling, court watchers say, and you’re in for some compelling viewing.

“Murder, narcotics, medical malpractice--we like them all,” Shussett said. “You come here in the morning and you have your choice of what you want to watch.”

At the very least, it’s better than staying at home and watching the soap operas.

4 Tips for Watching

1. Roam the halls: Check in at each courtroom to see what’s happening.

2. Chat with bailiffs, attorneys, judges: They can be your best source for which trials to watch and which to avoid.

3. Avoid expert testimony: Psychologists, doctors and other such professionals can talk for hours on end.

4. Don’t be lured by the glitter: Often, the less-publicized cases move faster and make for better viewing.

Where and When Location: Van Nuys Courthouse, 6230 Sylmar Ave., Van Nuys.

Suggested Dishes: Coffee in the cafeteria, 35 cents a cup.

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Metered parking on the street.