from typing import List


def parse_annots(annots: str) -> List[str]:
    """Split the annots field into a list"""
    # Check the format
    msg = f"Unknown annots format: {annots}"
    if not annots.startswith("[") or not annots.endswith("]"):
        raise RuntimeError(msg)

    # Cut of the square brackets
    annots = annots[1:-1]

    # Split on comma and remove quotes
    return [annotation.replace('"', "") for annotation in annots.split(",")]