Steve Waller, Lemon Grove

“Ignorance of the law is no excuse.”

THE FINALISTS

“I move to strike this man’s statements as ‘hay say.’”

Gary Urtiaga, Point Loma

“I object! That’s a straw man argument!”

Cindy Buzas, Carlsbad

“I’m sure you meant to say ‘little people’ and not ‘Munchkins.’ correct?”

Dianna Wintermantle, Encinitas

“The DNA evidence shows that you were the one who broke the camel’s back.”

Kevin Gilroy, Encinitas

“We are going to have to release you since you’ve made bale.”

Jacob Mationg, Imperial Beach

“Did you order the code red?”

Jill Burkhardt, San Diego

“What were you doing hanging out in that field at midnight?”

Steve Seward, Santee

“Must be a little early for Halloween decorations.”

Aiden Faltico, eighth grade, Correia Middle School

“Admit it, you were the brains of this operation, weren’t you?”

B. Max Clauss, online submission

”Your prison term is so long, you won’t get out until monkeys fly!”

Ruben Escobosa, San Diego

“You expect us to believe that a teenage girl is head of your gang?”

Don Kakuda, La Jolla

“Tell the court why you couldn’t have been the mastermind behind the heist.”

Lyn Angene, La Mesa

“I’ll never admit guilt ... you’re grasping for straws.”

Junior Depositar, San Diego

“Mr. Crow, the statute of limitations has run out on your tornado damage claim.”

Dee Heslar, Phoenix

K-12 WINNERS

“I’m sorry, Mr. Scarecrow, you said the murder weapon was a bucket of ... water?”

Melanie Mroczek, seventh grade, Correia Middle School

“But your honor, he is scaring all of the jurors!”

Eden Malicki, seventh grade, Correia Middle School

“Your honor, he was throwing haymakers left and right, directly hitting my client!”

Emory Duenas, eighth grade, Correia Middle School

“We cannot arrest the crows without probable caws.”

Josh Griffith, eighth grade, Correia Middle School