Order in the Court

FYI...Juvenile Court now offers night court! I hope to never ever see any of your partaking in this latest commodity of the court system. Now, I'm sure many families appreciate having a hearing after their work hours (for me, it simply means my work hours on Tuesday just got longer).
So as I say yesterday amidst of fairly positive hearing, let me tell you just why the title to this blog is so aptly named. I'm sitting with my colleague in the jury box, our usual domain. We successfully navigated the pre-hearing tension between separate parents, DCS, and attorneys. The client was sitting quietly which is no small feat given they can say the darndest things which never goes over well with the judge. DCS recommended Homebuilders stay in place as things have gone very well with reunification occuring early. Judge Graham was just settling into her best "I'm proud of you" speech and encouraging the client to ask for help prior to relapse next time.
And then, floating through the air, comes the cheery tune in the form of a whistle. Thinking it was a passerby janitor in the hallway, I attempted to dimiss the high-pitched notes and comment on what the case still needed to be stable. However, the cheery tune continued. The baliff looked toward the hallway between the court chambers and inner office rooms, I glanced around the courtroom, but nothing appeared to be the source of the whistling wonder that continued.
After a few minutes of this intermittent song, Judge Graham stopped, looked puzzled at myself and the baliff and asked, "What is that?"
Well, do you just tell the judge, "Whistling, you honor?" It seemed absurd to respond with the obvious. Thankfully, the baliff did not have these qualms and shrugging his shoulders reported, "Whistling."
I thought surely he will go explore this mysterious whistling and silent the apparently overly cheerly janitor that must be lurking in the next room, but no. He did not move.
Judge Graham looked around still with the puzzled expression and said, "Whistling?"
DCS jumped in and said, "It's a cell phone ring your honor. I only know because I have a coworker that has the same annoying ringtone."
Judge, "Oh" and then she carried on as if there was no tune that the rest of us had to concentrate on tuning out.
Now, mind you, this ringtone coninued and it began to border on the absurd. Absurdedly humorous that is. How in the world do you not laugh at the thought of sitting in a CHINS hearing with whistling in the middle of it? I'll tell you how. You seriously yell inside your head at yourself to STOP THINKING ABOUT IT. Then you focus on clenching your teeth really, really tight to try and eliminate the smile that threatens to give way to laughter. Then you remind yourself that you are the program coordinator and you CANNOT be put in contempt of court of laughing during a legal proceeding especially while training new staff. You will NEVER LIVE IT DOWN.
Thankfully, this court hearing was wrapping up. A lady from the office walked in and smiled as she went around the jury box to one of the back rooms to apparently silence the ringing phone.
I walked over to DCS at the close of the hearing and she reported that her coworker's ring is the exact same and that's the only way she would've known what it was. She also told me she has threatened to smash the phone of said coworker as apparently the whistling ringtone is a pet peeve of hers.
Smiling freely now since decorum was no longer required, I retorted, "Thanks for the heads up on the violence over at your building. I'll be sure to steer clear. Also, I love knowing how I can drive you crazy if you ever send a bad referral my way."
And thus, another episode of Tuesday night court was concluded.