Defendants may sometimes think that judges have a God complex. A defendant in the Youngstown Municipal Court told the judge, "You're not God" and the judge gave him 60 days for contempt. The defendant told the judge, "You're not God" and the judge made it 6 months in jail. The defendant told the judge, "You're not God. I don't fear you" and the judge made it one year in jail. The defendant said, "Everybody will see that tape now" and the judge made it 18 months in jail for contempt. If the municipal court judge really thought he was God he was in for a rude awakening when an even higher power - the Seventh District Court of Appeals for Mahoning County - ruled that the trial judge abused his discretion in sentencing the defendant to 18 months in jail for contempt. Read the decision here.
If you are accused of a crime or have been convicted already, contact me if you can afford to hire a private criminal defense lawyer. Otherwise, contact your county or state public defender to see if they can help.
