The job of a magistrate or judge can’t always be easy; and like anyone else, they can lose their temper from time to time.
Here are a few examples:
Serial Offender – Magistrate Jennifer Betts
Many experienced criminal lawyers in Sydney will be familiar with the courtroom antics of Magistrate Betts, who was ultimately referred to the Judicial Commission for her conduct on the bench.
One of the cases that brought her to notice was that of 18-year-old Amy Cooper, who appeared in Ryde Local Court for a speeding offence. Ms Cooper’s lawyer made a reasonable request for the case to be adjourned to enable his client to participate in a Traffic Offender Program.
Despite the relatively minor nature of the charge, and the reasonableness of the request, Ms Betts engaged in conduct that can “only and fairly be described as domineering and bullying behaviour”.
As Ms Cooper tried to explain her situation, Ms Betts said “Shut your mouth because I don’t think it’s going to do any good” and “Shut up, please, ma’am. I’m going to talk to you now and you listen hard.”
This was just one of several examples of how Ms Betts would conduct herself in the courtroom. The Judicial Commission recommended her removal, but parliament refused, noting that she was suffering from depression and had since commenced treatment.
Judge Calls Defendant ‘Gobshite’
Judge John Coughlan of Naas District Court in Ireland was hearing a case about a defendant, Sean Byrne, who drove without insurance. Mr Byrne was a habitual traffic offender, having been convicted of 14 prior driving offences.
Byrne’s lawyer made the daring submission that his client should not be disqualified because he needed a licence to drive his child to crèche. He referred to his client as a ‘hard-working man’ and ‘responsible’ father. Judge Coughlan’s response was swift and scathing:
“He’s a gobshite. It’s the nicest thing I can say about him.”
The judge then handed-down a six-year disqualification from driving and a fine of 500 euros.
Judge with No Knowledge
Back in 1970, Nigerian Judge Atake did not take well to a barrister accusing him of misunderstanding the law. The judge refuted the barrister’s claim, saying he was very good at law and telling him to “Sit down, stupid.”
The judge went on to assure those in court that he had been a “brilliant student” at law school, completing his law degree in just 18 months!
When the barrister would not relent, the judge convicted him of contempt; but the conviction was later set aside by a superior court.
Judge Threatens to Castrate Police Officer
In 1972, Los Angeles Judge Noel Cannon – nicknamed the ‘Mini-skirt Judge’ – was driving to court when pulled over by a police officer who told her to stop honking her car horn so much.
When the judge arrived at court, she said to the bailiff: “God damn, get that son of a bitch here; find that bastard; I’m not going to start court until that son of a bitch is here.”
She went on to deliver a stern warning:
“When I find him, I’m going to cut off his balls and have them hang over my bench: I am going to castrate him; I’m going to give him a vasectomy with a .38.”
The judge was suspended as a result of the threat, meaning that she would have to wait some time before once again presiding over hearings with her pet Chihuahua on the bench.
