Place me among that portion of the population for which “contempt of court” is a defining characteristic.
That said, I do know when to keep my trap shut. I’d be that fellow who, when asked “are you attempting to display contempt for this court?” would reply “no, sir, I’m attempting to conceal it.”
Good one.
My dad was once called in for jury duty in front of a judge who liked to ask stupid questions. Her question that day to the jury pool was “have you or a member of your family ever been arrested.” When my father answered yes she asked him to extrapolate. He said “Do you mean just me or my entire family? Just arrested, or actually charged and convicted? Every member of my family? Every time they were arrested?” The judge was about to get into it with him when the prosecutor said they didn't need him and let him go. Their mistake! My dad's judicial philosophy is from the movie “Hang Em’ High!” and he is somewhere to the right of Attila the Hun.
That said, I do know when to keep my trap shut. I’d be that fellow who, when asked “are you attempting to display contempt for this court?” would reply “no, sir, I’m attempting to conceal it.”Um... W.C. Fields (as the judge, of course) and Mae West. I think the movie was "My Little Chickadee" but my memory ain't what it used to be so I could (likely) be wrong. It was a classic scene, tho...
Or a late friend of my fathers who on one occasion after being fined $100 for contempt whipped out his wallet and said “Your honor you have no idea how much contempt I have for this court”.
LOL.
I don’t think that day went as well for him after that as he planned. I forget what else that quip earned the man.