From a sentencing transcript, the trial court Judge speaking:

It has been claimed that the representations made in the report, and the conclusions made by the agent that the individual before the Court is a drug dealer are inaccurate ...

But, you know I can draw my own conclusions as a Judge. I don't throw my common sense out the window when I get on the bench. And I mean I pick my pickles and I come to work.

I can use my common sense when I arrive here ....

Pick my pickles? Is anybody familiar with this phrase? What, exactly, does it mean?

Sparteye: Nothing on Google.

So, the expression may be up for grabs. I'll take a shot at it...

Pickles are a fairly common condiment--nothing rare here. Maybe the judge was throwing on the garb of Everyman, common sense, common tastes, no baloney temperament. He doesn't pick at escargot; he's a pickle picker with no wool over his eyes.

Hope you get something better, but maybe this will help screw the lid off the jar.

Best regards,
WW

I think maybe he means pickles as predicaments. He chooses what he's going to spend time making decisions on: what is worthy of consideration, and what is not.