# Do not yawn in court - or get sent to jail



## Bill Mattocks (Aug 12, 2009)

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/weird/Yawn-in-Court-Earns-Prison-Time-52880012.html



> *Shut Yer Mouth: Man Gets 6 Months for Yawning             *
> 
> *Strict judge issues 6 months jail time for "loud and boisterous" yawn*


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## celtic_crippler (Aug 12, 2009)

> So in a strange turn of events Mayfield, the felon, will be able to walk freely, while Williams, the yawner, will have to spend at least three weeks behind bars for his offending yawn.


 
What's wrong with that picture? 

Good thing he didn't fart. LOL

I can see the call of "contempt" if the _yawn_ was as described. Raising your hands in the air to stretch and emitting an audible sound is *not *involuntary. 

An acutal yawn makes no sound, other than the almost inaudibal sound of air passing in and out of your mouth, and those of us that were brought up properly to observe common ettiquette know that you also cover your mouth when doing so. 

It seems to me this fellow was being obnoxious and "acting out" and got more attention than he wanted. LOL


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## Bill Mattocks (Aug 12, 2009)

celtic_crippler said:


> It seems to me this fellow was being obnoxious and "acting out" and got more attention than he wanted. LOL



I suspect you may be right - but if you read the whole article, apparently this judge also sends people to jail for their cell phones ringing.  I have heard a few obnoxious ringtones, but I doubt anyone would have someone call them in order to be intentionally contemptuous in court.  I suspect the guy was a bad actor, and the judge is a bit of a loony, and they made beautiful music together.


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## celtic_crippler (Aug 12, 2009)

Bill Mattocks said:


> I suspect you may be right - but if you read the whole article, apparently this judge also sends people to jail for their cell phones ringing. I have heard a few obnoxious ringtones, but I doubt anyone would have someone call them in order to be intentionally contemptuous in court. I suspect the guy was a bad actor, and the judge is a bit of a loony, and they made beautiful music together.


 
Yeah, the songs called "30 Days in the Hole." LOL 

I saw the judge's record. He accounts for 1/3 of the contempt charges in that county I believe the article said. 

If you don't turn your cell off before you go into court, well... that's just common sense to me. Is the judge perhaps a bit over-zealous? It would appear so. He should also use common sense to temper his gavel. 

In this case; however, I feel he was most likely justified though the sentence compared to the felon he pretty much let off the hook is quite concerning in regards to where this judge's priorities may be.


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## David43515 (Aug 13, 2009)

I`m just diturbed by the fact he can sentence you to up to 6 monthes w/o a jury trial. 6 MONTHES, MAN!


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## seasoned (Aug 13, 2009)

Once in court, you are under the domain of the judge. All the courts I work in have a no nonsense policy, and rules are set before the judge takes the bench. Everyone is allowed a mistake, but how you respond to the impending reprimand, is dependent on the outcome. I have always found it advantageous to just sit and be quite, until you are called to the bench, be courteous, and if you feel wronged in anyway, that is what lawyers are for. Visitors fall under the same court rules.


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