• On TechRepublic: 10 cool USB flash drive tricks
July 7, 2006 4:54 PM PDT

Judge shows just how much he hates cell phones

by Erica Ogg

Even if your company has a no-cell-phones policy in the workplace, your boss probably hasn't resorted to the tactics of one California judge.

U.S. District Court Judge William Shubb has apparently had enough of annoying ring tones disrupting his courtroom. Witnesses say he became so enraged when a phone went off during court last week that he confronted the thoroughly embarrassed elderly cell owner and ordered her to hand over the offending device.

According to the Sacramento News & Review, witnesses said Shubb then proceeded to hurl the handset out into the hallway. The judge defended his actions, saying, "I didn't throw it; I tossed it." Nevertheless, when the woman retrieved her phone, it was out of commission, SN&R said.

Shubb then commanded deputies to confiscate every other cell phone in the room, and later posted signs on his courtroom doors that read, "All persons are ordered to turn their cell phones off."

He apologized later, saying, "I regret that I had to take such severe measures."

Point taken.

Erica Ogg is a CNET News reporter who covers Apple, HP, Dell, and other PC makers, as well as the consumer electronics industry. She's also one of the hosts of CNET News' Daily Podcast. In her non-work life, she's a history geek, a loyal Dodgers fan, and a mac-and-cheese connoisseur. E-mail Erica.
advertisement
Click here!
Recent posts from News Blog
Nvidia puts NForce chipset development on hold
Opera 10 browser is here
Neil Young Archives Blu-ray: Rip off?
Acronis revises survey results about backup habits
Acronis miscalculates data on users' bad backup habits
Flickr co-founder presses beta button
Comcast, Sony open retail store
Cox to try coaxing the Internet into submission
advertisement

As alternative energy grows, NIMBY greens

With more renewable energy projects trying to come online, the country grapples with the balance between local land use and a national push for clean energy.

Google to remake programming with Go

A Unix co-creator is among those behind a language Google hopes will speed computers and programming. Today, Go becomes open-source software.

About News Blog

Recent posts on technology, trends, and more.

Add this feed to your online news reader

advertisement
advertisement

Inside CNET News

Scroll Left Scroll Right