Courtroom Yawn results in man getting 6 Months In Jail

Will County, Illinois

This is according to a Chicago Tribune story.

Clifton Williams recently, was in the courtroom of Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak. The judge didn't take kindly to Williams' yawning during a sentencing for Williams' cousin. He found Williams guilty of criminal contempt of court.

Some courtroom spectators were in agreement that Williams' yawn was no simple, involuntary action, but rather was timed and exaggerated so as to disrupt the sentencing proceeding, however briefly.

Williams will actually be facing more jail time than his cousin the drug defendant, who got two years' probation for his offense. Williams received six months in jail, which, according to the Tribune story, is the max he could receive without actually going to jury trial. He's expected to serve at least three weeks.

Some are now asking whether Judge Rozak may have overreacted. A judge with a reputation for running a strict courtroom, Rozak appears to hand out a large share of contempt orders -- four out of the five brought in Will County this year. (There are 30 judges in the county).

David Schreiber
610-948-4800
www.mayerson.com
Mayerson Schreiber McDevitt, P.C.