News Reports: Handcuffed Defendant in Leg Irons Knocked Down Court Officer as Trial Concluded

Although handcuffed and wearing leg irons, a Massachusetts criminal defendant reportedly swung his arms and knocked a court officer down on Monday afternoon as he was being led from Plymouth District Court into a holding cell, prompting a nine-car response from state, county and local police. The unidentified defendant and…

Mar 7, 2012 7:12 PM CST

Ex-Marine Gets 15 Years for Attacking Wife During Hearing in Judge’s Chambers

A man who fractured his wife’s nose and broke her jaw during an attack last year in a Florida judge’s chambers was sentenced Friday to a maximum 15-year prison term after pleading no contest to an aggravated battery charge. Paul Henry Gonzalez Jr., 29, apologized profusely and sought, with his…

Mar 6, 2012 7:44 PM CST

Judge Is Relocated for Safety After His Scolding of ‘Doofus’ Zombie Muhammad Goes Viral

A Pennsylvania judge has been relocated to a county courthouse for his safety after dismissing the case against a Muslim man accused of attacking an atheist dressed as “Zombie Muhammad” at a Halloween parade. An audio recording of Judge Mark Martin scolding the alleged victim at a December hearing went…

Feb 29, 2012 1:10 PM CST

Gun Issues Shut Down Fla. Courthouse Checkpoint Twice in One Morning

Gun incidents shut down a Florida courthouse checkpoint twice in one morning today as Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputies responded. In the first, which occurred at about 7:50 a.m., screeners at the county courthouse spotted a loaded Kel-Tec .32-caliber pistol in a backpack, reports the Tampa Bay Times. Michael Joseph Cardoso,…

Feb 21, 2012 7:45 PM CST

Gunman Who Fired Shot Outside Upstate NY Courtroom Is Killed

Updated: A gunman who opened fire near the entrance to city court in Middletown, N.Y., has been shot and killed, according to local news reports. The Times Herald-Record identifies the slain gunman as Tim Mulqueen, a former Middletown landlord with a grudge against Mayor Joe DeStefano. MidHudsonNews.com also reports the…

Feb 8, 2012 5:14 PM CST

Thieves Make Off with $3M Mother Lode of Gold Nuggets Featured in Courthouse Display

A courthouse mining history display featuring more than $3 million in gold nuggets in the northernmost part of California was burglarized Wednesday. Thieves reportedly smashed the glass of a Siskiyou County Courthouse display case in Yreka, Calif. Security video shows two men broke into the courthouse lobby display around 1…

Feb 2, 2012 1:46 PM CST

Should Courthouse Security Go Easy on Attorneys? 2 State Representatives Say There Ought to Be a Law

Few lawyers are overjoyed about the security line at the St. Louis County courthouse, which operates more like an airport security checkpoint than most. In addition to putting coats and bags through a metal detector, attorneys, like everyone else in line to enter the Clayton, Mo., facility, routinely take off…

Feb 1, 2012 11:44 PM CST

The Badgering State: Wis. Battles over Worker’s Rights and Skirmishes in the Supreme Court

Feb 1, 2012 11:10 AM CST

‘Hoe Haters’ Gang Members and Victim’s Relatives Brawl Outside Georgia Courtroom

Sheriff’s deputies in DeKalb County, Ga., arrested seven people on Thursday after gang members and relatives of a murder victim brawled outside the courtroom. Members of a gang known as the “Hoe Haters” scuffled with relatives of high school student Marcus Holloway, who was killed in a drive-by shooting. There…

Jan 13, 2012 1:29 PM CST

Judge Is Reassigned After Asking Colleagues to ‘Stand in Solidarity’ over Lack of Security

A Minnesota judge has been reassigned after refusing to hear cases in three suburban Minneapolis courtrooms because of security concerns. Judge Lloyd Zimmerman of Hennepin County will be reassigned to family court because it has metal detectors and a judicial vacancy, officials told the Minneapolis Tribune and CBS Minnesota. Zimmerman,…

Jan 10, 2012 12:39 PM CST

Judge Orders Defendant’s Mouth Taped Shut

A Pennsylvania judge ordered a man’s mouth taped shut by sheriff’s deputies for repeatedly disrupting jury selection for his trial. The unusual order came after Erik Britt, who was acting as his own attorney during the pre-trial hearing for assaulting a prison guard, ignored Judge Timothy Creany’s warnings to stop…

Jan 6, 2012 10:59 PM CST

Group Opposing Citizens United Pushes ‘Occupy the Courts’ Protest

A group called Move to Amend is calling for a one-day “Occupy the Courts” demonstration to protest the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision finding that corporations have a First Amendment right to support political candidates. The group dispatched a press release calling for protests at federal courthouses on Jan. 20 to…

Jan 5, 2012 1:08 PM CST

Suit Claims Longer Courthouse Wait for Out-of-County Attorneys Is Unconstitutional

A lawyer in LaSalle County southwest of Chicago sees a constitutional violation in his long courthouse wait in suburban Will County. Gary Peterlin claims in a federal class action suit (PDF) that he is forced to endure longer courthouse waits because of his out-of-county status in what amounts to a…

Dec 20, 2011 4:37 PM CST

Prosecutor Helped Bailiff Disarm Alleged Courthouse Shooter, While Defense Lawyer Helped Victims

New details emerging in last week’s courthouse shooting in Northern Minnesota showcase the heroics of a bailiff and lawyers on the scene. Assistant Cook County Attorney Molly Hicken helped bailiff Gary Radloff disarm the suspect, while defense lawyer John Lillie III of St. Paul helped the victims, escorting one of…

Dec 20, 2011 1:27 PM CST

Former Boxer Accused of Shooting and Wounding Prosecutor, Two Others at Minn. Courthouse

A former boxer on trial for criminal sexual conduct is accused of shooting and injuring a prosecutor and two others in a courthouse in Northern Minnesota late Thursday afternoon. The prosecutor, Cook County Attorney Timothy Scannell, underwent surgery last night, report the Duluth News Tribune, WTIP and the Associated Press.…

Dec 16, 2011 11:56 AM CST