Yesterday, I went to the federal courthouse for a hearing. I didn't bring a briefcase or bag ... never know what I miht have left in there that could be construed as a weapon. Of course, I had to empty my pockets and walk through the metal detector. The U.S. Marshal asked me if my phone/PDA had a camera. I replied that it did. He asked me what else it could do; so, I explained the functions that I could recall. He was most impressed with the fact that I could log on to the internet and do legal research right there and then.
Then he said, "You can't take it with you."
"What?"
"I can't let you take a camera in there with you. It's not permitted. No cameras or other recording equipment. ... You'll get it back when you leave."
"What if I need to refer to my schedule?"
Why do you need to do that? This is federal court. The judge won't care about your schedule."
So, I locked up my PDA in one of the little lockers in which the cops put their guns and headed up to the courtroom.
While waiting for the judge, I mentioned that my phone was confiscated because it had a camera. The lawyer on the other side of the table, a woman, said, "I didn't have to give him mine. I have a camera ... he even asked me. Told me not to use it."
Life is so unfair.
Posted by Bill at April 7, 2006 03:00 PMYou know that's just one of the many perks of being a woman. Hmmpphhh.
Posted by: Vicki at April 7, 2006 06:44 PMThose camara PDAs are very very dangerous. You never know when you might hurl it across the room at the other idiot attorney/judge/witness/jury member/ or whomever is annoying the crap out of you at the moment.
The camara is the least concerning. ;)
-d
Posted by: -d at April 7, 2006 09:37 PMPerhaps you shouldn't have boasted about how clever your phone was.
Posted by: Anji at April 8, 2006 09:28 AMYou must have looked like a terrorist.
Or did you mention that you were a defense attorney?
Posted by: Joel Sax at April 11, 2006 02:43 AM