WEST PALM BEACH — Of mice and men, there are tales aplenty at the Palm Beach County Courthouse.

Mice falling from ceiling tiles, scuttling down corridors, munching papers and potato chips - so many sightings that some staffers check their handbags for stowaways before leaving the building each day.

Last week, a mouse scampered around a courtroom in the midst of a burglary trial. Circuit Judge Krista Marx contained her yelps as the critter roamed for an hour. Thank goodness the verdict ended up being a not guilty, she said.

"I know if it had been guilty, they would have said the jury was distracted and we want a new trial," Marx said.

There's an infestation, Marx said. But she's armed: a mousetrap is now right at the judge's feet.

Seven floors down from Marx's courtroom, case manager Jill Mitchell bangs the walls of her cubicle each day before entering to let the mice know she's there. Curiously, they passed on the Snickers on...