A Public Defender and CDW points to In re Sherri Jefferson, 2007 Ga. App. LEXIS 391 (Ga. Ct. App. 2007), in which a public defender was sentenced to 30 days in jail for trying to make a record. Her comments seem fairly innocuous. But this is Georgia.
You gotta love these choice sentences from the court:
- Words which bring the court into disrespect, which offends its dignity or affronts its majesty, or challenges its authority, constitute contempt.
What is this? A D&D game? No. Courts are people. They are people that have some degree of political popularity. Let’s not pretend they are something they are not.
- the juvenile court found that Jefferson's
“gross interference” and “biased” statements constituted contemptuous conduct.
What? Oh no! A lawyer for a juvenile being biased in favor of the juvenile! Isn't that the whole point?
The dissent points out that Ms. Jefferson’s conduct didn’t interfere with anyone’s ability to receive a fair trial, and that obviously she was trying to protect her client’s interests. (The trial court judge ruled that she couldn’t question an officer without having her client testify.)
Somehow I think that if
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