Behind the Bench: How Judges Maintain Decorum and What Happens When They Don't

What should judges expect from courtroom participants, and what happens if a judge crosses the line? In this episode of Next Witness...Please, retired judges Gayle Williams-Byers and Tom Hodson tackle the often-overlooked topic of judicial decorum. They offer both insight and entertainment, with personal and humorous examples of maintaining—or losing—judicial decorum. Every court, from state to federal, has codes of conduct requiring judges to be patient, dignified, and respectful in their official roles. At the same time, judges are tasked with keeping order in their courtroom and sometimes that is not an easy task. Recently, we’ve seen a range of judicial styles, especially in high-profile cases like those involving Donald Trump from Judge Arthur Engoron and Judge Juan Merchan in New York, Judge Scott McAfee in Georgia to federal judges like Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida and Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington, D.C., Our retired judges share stories of outlandish courtroom moments, such as a Michigan trial judge's recent outrageous behavior, and discuss techniques they personally used to stay composed. They also dive into what triggers judges to lose their cool and reveal what really goes on in a judge’s mind while managing a courtroom. Our judges also dive into how judges can be disciplined for inappropriate conduct in court.