Judge Hands Out Fines to Ringers

A judge in Montana is fed up with mobile phones ringing in his courtroom and has done something about it. Judge Jeffrey Sherlock, of the Lewis and Clark County Courthouse in Helena, Mo., has announced that he will immediately issue a $5 fine to anyone whose mobile goes off during one of Sherlock’s trials.

It doesn’t take a detective to know that Sherlock means business. During a recent trial, the judge collected US$25 from perpetrators.

Sherlock, who is in his mid-50s, said some of the worst offenders were people his own age, who should know better. We can assume that he has the backing of his fellow judges, although comments on the policy have been lacking.

The money offenders pay gets transferred 100 percent to Big Brothers Big Sisters, Sherlock said.