Hope floats for Sandra Bullock in legal battle

SANDRA BULLOCK made a surprise cameo this week in an Austin, Texas, courtroom in her ongoing legal battle with a local developer.

In a lawsuit filed against the actress, developer MB “Benny” Daneshjou says Miss Congeniality failed to pay him for building her a posh lakefront home. She quickly countersued, claiming the $6.5 million Lake Austin residence was shoddily constructed.

Per local reports, Bullock turned up during jury selection dressed in black, while lawyers for both sides asked potential jurors whether her celebrity would prevent them from reaching a fair verdict.

Travis County District Judge Paul Davis has banned cameras from the courtroom for the upcoming trial, which will be decided by 12 jurors selected in hearings this week.

The judge also made it clear that the Hollywood A-lister, best known for the action blockbuster Speed and such romantic comedies as Two Weeks Notice and Hope Floats, is no different than any other citizen in his courtroom.