Judge
Raymond Voet of Ionia County, Michigan has a simple rule: if your cell
phone goes off in court, you will be held in contempt of court and fined
$25. He's consistent about enforcement. When his own cell phone rang,
he imposed the penalty on himself. It's a new phone and Judge Voet
wasn't sure how to operate it. But that excuse didn't cut it:
"That's
an excuse, but I don't take those excuses from anyone else. I set the
bar high, because cell phones are a distraction and there is very
serious business going on," he said. "The courtroom is a special place
in the community, and it needs more respect than that. I tow a tough
line, and I got to back it up this afternoon."
At the next recess,
Voet held himself in contempt of court, fined himself $25, and stated
on the record "If I cannot live by the rules that I enforce, then I have
no business enforcing these rules."
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