Lawyer Fined for Courtroom Misconduct: Middle Finger Incident

Published by:
Omar Glenn

Reviewed by:
Alistair Vigier
Last Modified: 2023-05-10
A lawyer who was appearing for the plaintiff in court virtually gave the middle finger to the opposing counsel.
The event happened in the Michigan Court of Appeals.
The defence lawyer was speaking about how the plaintiffs had filed an affidavit outside of the court-allowed time period.
After two hours in Court, the trial lawyer for the plaintiffs logged in and apparently did not like what he was hearing. He fingered the opposing counsel.
Once the defence attorney (Rob Kamenec) finished his submissions, Judge Cameron asked about who the new addition to the meeting was.
James Heos was introduced as the lawyer who would be representing the plaintiff at trial. He was the one who gave the finger to Rob Kamenec.
Judge Cameron didn’t appear to see it, but Judge Borrello certainly did.
The Attorney Get’s Caught By The Judge
One of the judges, Judge Borrello raised the issue. Judge Redford seemed to think it was funny.
James Heos denied that and said he was just pointing at his computer. James Heos was later sanctioned after the Court reviewed the footage.
The video was deleted, so we found another video and put it below.
Never lie to a judge, especially when the whole thing is being recorded. The job of an attorney is to do their best for their clients.
It’s not to get overly emotional and to start disrespecting the court.
People without lawyers should do the same. They need to follow the process and the rules of the court. Courthouses don’t need to be toxic places.
Never give someone the middle finger in Court. If it helps, think of it as a sport. Someone wins, and someone doesn’t.
Other Cases Where There The Middle Finger Was Given In Court
Courtrooms are supposed to be a place of justice, where everyone conducts themselves with decorum and respect. However, emotions can get the best of people, leading to inappropriate behaviour. The middle finger gesture is a common way to express frustration, but it can have severe consequences in court.
This gesture has been used for centuries to show contempt and disrespect. It’s a powerful way to communicate anger and frustration without saying a word. However, in a courtroom, it’s not only inappropriate but also viewed as disrespectful toward the judge, jury, and court officials.
There have been many instances where people have landed in trouble for using the middle finger in court. For example, a man was held in contempt of court and sentenced to a night in jail for flipping off a judge after a decision he didn’t like. In another case, a woman’s sentence was revoked, and she was ordered to spend the maximum time in jail for showing the middle finger to the judge.

Led to criminal charges
These are not isolated incidents. There have been many others where people have gotten in trouble for using this gesture in court. In fact, in some cases, it has led to criminal charges. For instance, a man was charged with disorderly conduct and arrested for flipping off a judge during his sentencing hearing. Another man was held in contempt of court and sentenced to jail for ten days for the same gesture.
The courts have consistently held that such gestures are not protected speech and can be punished as acts of contempt. Therefore, it’s important to remember that the courtroom is a place where decorum and respect must be followed.
Expressing frustration through rude gestures like the middle finger can not only land you in trouble with the court but also damage your reputation and credibility in the eyes of the judge and jury. It’s crucial to keep emotions in check and conduct oneself with dignity and respect in the courtroom.
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