The Queen of England wasn't in the dock but she did have a taste of British justice, albeit a brief and sanitised version, when she visited Belfast yesterday.
Officially opening the £30 million Laganside court complex in the city centre, she spent five minutes watching a mock trial in one of the high-tech courtrooms. Trainee lawyers from the Institute of Professional Legal Studies played out a case in front of a judge.
It was clear which side of the law the Queen was on as she chatted to police officers - including the Chief Constable, Mr Hugh Orde - lawyers, judges and court staff. There wasn't a criminal, suspect, or even angry young man or woman in sight as the courts were suspended for her visit.
Security was tight in the glass-fronted building, and dozens of police marksmen crouched on the roofs of surrounding buildings. The handful of onlookers who gathered on the street were vastly outnumbered by security forces.
Inside, music was provided by a string quartet from St Malachy's Catholic grammar school.
Queen Elizabeth, who was accompanied by Prince Philip on her one-day visit, met representatives of victims' groups.
The big debate among the media was whether Her Majesty's coat and matching hat were jade or bottle green.
The Queen was greeted by the North's Lord Chief Justice, Sir Robert Carswell, and the Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast, Lady Carswell. Sir Robert said her visit was "an occasion of great importance to the administration of justice in Northern Ireland". After unveiling a plaque, the Queen was presented with white roses by Helen Lavery (9), the daughter of the director of the court service.
She then had lunch with judges and their wives.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Mr Gerry Kelly said the decision to allow her to open the court complex "flew in the face" of the Belfast Agreement by undermining the demand for a criminal justice acceptable to the entire community and neutral in its symbols and ethos.
However, Sinn Féin restricted its protests to the verbal variety and no pickets were mounted by the party. The only protester in sight was an anti-Iraq war campaigner, Mr Rob Fairmichael, who waved a "Tell Tony No War" placard as the Queen left the Halifax Bank of Scotland call centre, on the banks of the Lagan, where she had met staff.
"I was cycling past when I realised the Queen was in town, so I cycled home, got out the marker and paper, made the placard and cycled back," said Mr Fairmichael, of the Justice Not Terror Coalition.
Inside the call centre, the Queen chatted to a worker, Ms Joanne Savage, about holidays.
"We told her we were thinking of Prague, and she said she would recommend it but it was cold at this time of year. I'd listen to her because she has been everywhere."
Earlier, the Queen took a boat cruise on the Lagan. The 50-seat vessel wasn't quite the Royal Yacht Britannia (now decommissioned) but it had been freshly painted for its royal passenger. Normally the vessel carries tourists and locals on night booze cruises.