The Science of Superstition: The Case of Courtroom 13
By Lynne Bell
Recently and real-state-wise, a courthouse in Saint John, New Brunswick did what hotels usually do-dispensed with the number 13. That is, just like there's no elevator button for floor 13 in most (all?) commercial hostelries; there is now no Courtroom 13 in the Saint John Law Courts.
Instead, the former Courtroom 13 is now Courtroom 14. Since the building opened three years ago, some superstitious citizens voiced concerns about the shiny new Courtroom 13, complaining that it “felt unlucky” although the city's Regional Director of Court Services, Don Higgins stated there weren't any particular complaints about Courtroom 13, other than it giving some people “a bad vibe.”
Higgins told The Canadian Press: “People only come here once or twice in their lives, so we're hoping to make it easier. We didn't do any investigation or analysis to see how many people it impacted. It was an easy fix.”
Changing the former Courtroom 13's sign came in at less than $100 and according to Higgins, all other references to the courtroom's number were easy-and inexpensive- to change, because they're online.
Citing other courthouse-related concerns, Higgins told CP that going to court is a highly stressful experience for most people and in addition to Courtroom 13's number change, court officials have addressed other issues, such as sightlines, noise in some rooms, and more.
“Right from the beginning, we were working the kinks out,” he explained. “I don't think the engineers who put the (building) together gave (the number 13) much thought.”
Higgins stated that he's not superstitious, “but if there's anything you can do to remove these distractions...”
Higgins' statements are imbued with both compassion and common sense. Changing Courtroom 13's number to something more palatable to some folks-no matter which side of the law they're on-was an easy, inexpensive, and quick fix. And probably, the number of complaints received by his department decreased, too.
However, if the courts were to accomodate everyone's quirks and/or phobias, the wheels of justice would grind even more slowly than they already do and fairness and neutrality would be tainted by the law of the land succumbing to superstition.
Saint John's Court Services department made a sensible and efficient call on this one, but it cannot become the norm. Canada's courts have a big job to do-and pandering to the perceived discomfort of a few must not become a permanent part of their mandate.
Lucky or unlucky: the number 13 still holds sway
By Kelly Running
In tall buildings there’s never a 13th floor and in motels, hospitals, and airports you’ll be hard pressed to find a room or gate 13. Why?
Apparently it goes all the way back to the Code of Hammurabi, according to the History Channels website. The Code of Hammurabi reportedly skips over the 13th law within its legal rules, but this has to do with poor translating as the code isn’t even listed numerically.
In the ancient world, Sumerians developed a number system based on the “perfect” number in their world, 12. In fact 12 is still a number that we use: 12-inches in a foot, a day is two 12-hour half days, a year is 12 months, etc… So 13 became a number that was imperfect, it was lacking and with two ancient events playing into it, the superstition was born.
The ancient events being that the biblical Judas was the 13th guest to arrive at the Last Supper and in Norse mythology evil and treachery were introduced to the world by the mischievous god Loki who was also the 13th guest to a dinner party upsetting the perfect number of 12.
However, in some cultures like the Ancient Egyptians and amongst First Nations, it’s a lucky number. I was once told that a hawk with 13 tail feathers is a good omen, they’re rare, most have 12, but if it has 13, then it is special.
In much of the world people are now calling 13 their lucky number, like pop star Taylor Swift.
In Asia 13 isn’t a bad omen, but the number four is, apparently the pronunciation of “four” is quite similar to the word “death” in various Asian languages.
So, why in 2016 are we renaming a courtroom? Courtroom 13 in Saint John, New Brunswick, has taken down the sign for Courtroom 13 and replaced it with Courtroom 14.
According to Don Higgins, regional director of court services in Saint John, as he told the Free Press, going to court is stressful and eliminating an extra stressor like being in Courtroom 13 for those who fear the number is bad luck. Additionally there were never any complaints, but people simply said it emitted a bad vibe… but this seems ridiculous to me.
Apparently the old courthouse which was built in the 1820s in Saint John, before moving to the new one where room 13 was just changed to 14, housed a gallows and was believed to be haunted… I feel like that would give off way worse vibes than a room 13, but I digress.
The cost to replace the sign was less than $100, so I guess they didn’t spend an inordinate amount of money on something that seems quite trivial to me because at the end of the day the room may say 14… it’s still technically the 13th courtroom in the courthouse.
