As reported in Times Online Law 22.4.2010
Michelle McRoy (28) was visiting a courtroom in Orange County, Florida, presided over by Judge Johnson. Unfortunately for Michelle, her phone went off with a "clamorous musical jingle". The report doesn't say exactly what tune; I like to imagine it was the Benny Hill theme...
Anyway, Judge Johnson said the phone should have been turned off, added that it was contemptuous to let it ring, ordered Ms McRoy to surrender it, and then chucked it in the nearest bin. He ordered the local Sheriff to destroy it later.
How many of us secretly wish that we had that power, when we are sat within ten yards of an over-loud teenager or student?........just me then...........
Ms McRoy appealed, saying that she did turn her phone off on first entering the court. Her sister then wanted to make a call. Ms McRoy gave the phone to her sister who left the courtroom and made the call. On her return, the sister did not turn the phone off again, i.e. Ms McRoy said that her conduct was blameless and that her phone should not have been impounded.
Ms McRoy won - the Appeal Court in Daytona said that "something might irritate a judge, but that isn't the same thing as contempt of court"
This has happened in England too. A murder trial was taking place at Woolwich Crown Court in 2008. The judge heard a jaunty ringtone, scowled around the courtroom, with everyone looking nervously at one another, before he realised that the offending phone was in his own pocket, underneath his robes. He added (presumably with a face as red as those robes), "I didn't think I had it with me today!".
In 2007 (at Blackpool Magistrates' Court) one defendant was convicted of contempt, because when his phone went off, he actually interrupted the District Judge to take the call, exclaiming loudly, "Hello there! I am in court..."
Have mobile phones got any of you into trouble with authority? Or, like the poor judge at Woolwich, have you grumpily asked who could have done such a terrible thing, when it was you all along? We will publish any funny response (anonymously, or course).
