Tuesday, June 10, 2014

"Pull your pants up!"

That's what a sign in Judge Wayne Maura's courtroom says.  And for violating the too low pants rule, one defendant was fined $50. 

Here's the Morning Call:

Maura recounted the incident that prompted the citation, saying the waistband of Dennis' pants was "completely below his buttocks," leaving only a "very thin layer" of fabric between his posterior and the courtroom bench.
..."I think Mr. Dennis is old enough to understand when he's in a public courtroom, there's a reason he was told to leave and fix the way he's dressed," Maura said.
Maura said he routinely sees people in court wearing low-slung pants, calling them a sign of disrespect for the courts and taxpayers.
After the hearing, Makoul called the judge's ruling "disappointing" and said she likely will appeal the sentence after she speaks to Dennis.
In several places in Maura's courtroom and office, a sign is displayed that has a cartoon drawing showing the backsides of three people all wearing pants well below waist level with their underwear exposed. The sign says, "Pull your pants up!"
Maura's Bethlehem office also includes a second sign warning that visitors may not appear in the courtroom or be waited on by staff if they are wearing baggy pants with "exposed undergarments" or "excessive exposure of any private body areas."
Maura declined to comment after Monday's hearing. When asked about the signs in his courtroom, he would only say "they speak for themselves."

Below is the offensive sign at issue:




6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Didn't the Supreme Court already take care of this issue almost 40 years ago? Cohen v. California

Anonymous said...

About time. The way Defendants and jurors dress is disgraceful. Even lawyers have gotten in on the act. I am an old timer. I remember when all defendants who were not incarcerated wore jacket and tie to court. Back when Ford was better known as something other than a car company, I remember a judge chastising a juror for not wearing a jacket and tie to court. Just a matter of respect for the surroundings you inhabit.

Rumpole said...

State v Fred Haddad?

Anonymous said...

"We wore onions on our belts back then . . ."

This isn't about changing styles or respect for court proceedings or lack thereof.
The sign is blatantly racist!!
That a judge who is determining issues of life and liberty is completely deaf as to the offensive nature of his sign is extremely frightning.

Anonymous said...

Racist? How so? I believe the trend was started by the white owners of a popular fashion line. The trend was popularized by whoever bought into it, which included all races but mostly limited to male teens and young adults. The trend expanded to include females in the same age group who started showing off their back upper thong area. Nothing at all to do with race, my friend. It needs to end at the courthouse steps.

Anonymous said...

8:42 - ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!

You can look at that horrible sign and question how it possibly be racist?

Man, we have a loong way to go in this country.

Scary, scary stuff.