There are many members of the judiciary who are intelligent, articulate individuals that have worked hard to learn the law and do their best to be fair and impartial in its application. Unfortunately there are also other people who hold the title of judge that even other judges look at and have no idea how it happened. People who feel the law is not as important as their egos. This is the type of jurist whose rulings cause people to hear the theme from the Twilight Zone.
Circuit Judge Charles Green, a judge in Florida, actually jailed his own court stenographer for working too slowly. Now that makes perfect sense. Let’s forget the possibility she may have personal issues or other things that could be affecting her work. I don’t think the judge should consider having someone work with her to find out what her problem may be with doing the work. Why would he do that when it’s so much easier to just put the stenographer in jail?
“What are you in jail for?”
“I killed my wife and a policeman.”
“How about you?”
“I was put in jail for typing transcripts too slowly for the judge.”
“Wow, you’re in big trouble. Be glad you didn’t get the death penalty.”
Unfortunately this injudicious judge soon discovered that if the transcription work was getting done slowly before, it wasn’t getting done at all with the stenographer in jail. So Judge Charles Green in a move that must have impressed judges in every communist country around in the world let his stenographer out of jail, only to put her on house arrest until she completed the work. Talk about a positive work environment.
I suppose it would be an exaggeration to say that some judges are drunk with power and maybe in some cases it wouldn’t. Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak sentenced a man to six months in jail for yawning loudly in his courtroom. I suppose this makes perfect sense since this judge probably can’t believe anyone would be bored with the proceedings in his courtroom.
“Wow, just look at that. Have you ever seen anyone pound a gavel like Judge Daniel Rozak?”
“It only gets better. Wait until you hear you him sustain objections or tell people they’re overruled.”
“Why would anyone want to watch the Super Bowl when entertainment like this is available?”
“If I these courtroom proceedings are on DVD I’m buying a copy.”
It only gets better. The man who was jailed for yawning was there because his cousin was on trial. His cousin got sentenced to probation. I can only imagine the exchange when the cousin on trial walked out a free man and passed his cousin who was going to jail for six months for yawning. The lesson here is obviously to get a good night’s sleep before going to watch your cousin’s trial.
Judge Robert Restaino of Niagara Falls, New York seems to realize that the way to get things done in a courtroom is to treat everyone like a child. He jailed 46 people after none of them admitted to having a cell phone that began ringing during a court session. Everybody in the courtroom was actually taken to city jail where they were searched and put into cells. There were 14 people who could not post bail and were taken to county jail.
“We would like to hire you but you have a criminal record.”
“I was taken to jail because a cell phone rang during a court proceeding and the judge put everyone in jail because nobody admitted to having the ringing cell phone.”
“Of course that was it.”
“I’m serious that’s what happened.”
“Yes, it makes perfect sense.”
“Why don’t you believe me?”
“Who would doubt you? Don’t call us we’ll call you.”
Many judges have previously been attorneys and nothing could make that more evident than in the case of Judge Jack Battaglia of New York. It appears that one day Judge Battaglia went into his courtroom and accidently slipped and fell on a freshly mopped floor. He then sued the city and even targeted the courthouse cleaning lady for $1 million. According to legal papers the cleaning lady was guilty of negligently using a bucket, wringer and a mop combined with soapy water to create a dangerous and hazardous trap like condition. Huh?
I’m certain we all sleep better at night knowing there is a judge willing to make a stand. He’s attempting to try and stop the entire mop and bucket wielding cleaning community determined to bring mischief and mayhem to courtrooms around the country. I doubt any of us realized the inherent dangers of soapy water in the wrong hands. I can only imagine the warning labels we’re going to see on mops and buckets now.
Most of us like to think of judges as people filled with knowledge and wisdom dispensing justice in the best way possible. Some people want to think judges are above human emotions and frailty. Unfortunately nothing puts things in perspective than when members of the judiciary show us they’re just like the rest of us. I suppose the big difference is they have power to make decisions that deeply affect the lives of people every day.
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