A Michigan judge has shown his
determination to stick to the letter of the law - fining himself for
contempt on Friday after his cell phone went off mid-trial.
Judge Raymond Voet is well-known for angry outbursts if smartphone tones are heard in Ionia County 64A District Court.
He has posters up warning court users that noisy phone-owners will be found in contempt and regularly confiscates handsets.
But on Friday afternoon he was red-faced with more than rage when he realized a nuisance phone, which interrupted a prosecutor's closing statement, actually belonged to him.
'There was some nervous laughter. I got very embarrassed and I’m sure my face turned red,' Voet told Michigan Live.
The judge has taken phones away from police officers, attorneys, witnesses and people sitting in the gallery when they've failed to hit 'silent mode'.
A former Blackberry owner, the judge accidentally nudged his new Windows smartphone in his shirt pocket which prompted it to start requesting voice commands during the prosecutor's closing remarks.
'I thought it would never happen to me,' he added.
Rather than be hypocritical, the judge said it was only right he punished himself.
In a break in the case he fined himself $25 and paid it.
'Judges are humans. They’re not above the rules. I broke the rule and I have to live by it," Voet said.
The judge has now vowed to always lock the handset from now on.
Judge Raymond Voet is well-known for angry outbursts if smartphone tones are heard in Ionia County 64A District Court.
He has posters up warning court users that noisy phone-owners will be found in contempt and regularly confiscates handsets.
But on Friday afternoon he was red-faced with more than rage when he realized a nuisance phone, which interrupted a prosecutor's closing statement, actually belonged to him.
Embarrassed: Judge Raymond Voet fined himself
$25 on Friday when his cell phone went off mid-trial. He has previously
confiscated phones in anger when the same thing has happened to
courtroom visitors
The judge has taken phones away from police officers, attorneys, witnesses and people sitting in the gallery when they've failed to hit 'silent mode'.
A former Blackberry owner, the judge accidentally nudged his new Windows smartphone in his shirt pocket which prompted it to start requesting voice commands during the prosecutor's closing remarks.
'I thought it would never happen to me,' he added.
Rather than be hypocritical, the judge said it was only right he punished himself.
Smartphone struggles: The judge accidentally
activated his Windows Smartphone, left - file photo, at a case at Ionia
County 64A District Court
'Judges are humans. They’re not above the rules. I broke the rule and I have to live by it," Voet said.
The judge has now vowed to always lock the handset from now on.