Supposedly there were no signs. Did you see the judges other rulings?
This guy is a jerk.
If you need a sign to tell you NOT to use a phone during court, you DESERVE to be in jail.
I really hate text-messaging morons who think it is their god-given right to text anywhere-movie theatre, driving a car, during court, etc...
I call these people phonetards!
I agree.
Far after the 'incident', which the judge wasn't even aware of, he summons a mother of 4 young kids to his courtroom and immediately sentences her to a month in jail...for texting! This is judicial tyranny.
If anyone bothers to read the full story, this same judge gave a female teacher that had sex with a 16-year-old student - numerous times - probation.
This judge needs to be thoroughly investigated by his superiors and/or the people who put him on the bench. This is an outrage. You can rant about cell phones and texting all day long but this was a ridiculously minor infraction of whatever the courtroom decorum rules may have been in force at the time. 30 days for texting? After the fact? For a young mother of four?
Unless there is something we're not being told, which is always possible, this is an unacceptable abuse of power by a judge with no sense of proportion. The offer to release the woman on bail if her husband paid a $70,000. settlement is also highly suspicious and gives the appearance of judicial blackmail on the behalf of a plaintiff. Not good.