Is it the struggle between Freedom and Tyranny? Is it the struggle between Justice and Injustice? Is it the struggle between Right and Wrong?
No.
It is the Great War between our Courts and Technology. And though there are many fronts in this war, the chief villain of Technology, the Technology Lex Luthor, is the cell phone.
They are the scourge of our Courts, with their obnoxious ring tones, disruptive vibrations, and distracting screens. As if forged in the very fires of hell itself these disruptive machines soil our sanctuaries of justice.
Even lawyers cannot be trusted with these technological nightmares. In fact, lawyers especially are not to be trusted with them in court. Lawyers have even been known to attempt to actually use these devices in court, as if there is some legitimate purpose to be served in court.
Some have claimed that they are using cell phones for features that do not include making actual telephone calls. These techno-speakers claim that their phones can actually do other useful things besides make telephone calls. For example, I have heard that some lawyers actually send written words, called text messages using these devices. Some have claimed to have been able to communicate with other lawyers or even prosecutors using this mysterious feature. Some have claimed that this so-called "text messaging" is an excellent way to get in touch with lawyers and clients and even the court, when trying to get people together in the context of busy days and the reality of multiple lawyers handling multiple cases in multiple courtrooms on the same day.
As if the Court would ever get involved in sending these so called text messages. Sure, these technical zealots will claim that services like google offer the ability to send and receive text messages for free so that every courtroom could easily be in a position to send and receive text messages. But that's what the phone is for. How about that techno-nazis? Remember the good old telephone? If the court needs to track down a lawyer who is in another courtroom, what could be more reliable than simply calling that lawyer on his cell phone? Bam!
Of course you'll probably have to leave a voicemail message because the lawyer won't be allowed to use his cell phone in court. Sometimes being on the right side of history means putting up with a little inconvenience. Maybe a text message would have come right through silently and easily to a lawyer who was allowed to look at his cell phone in court, but don't kid yourself. You need a degree in rocket science to be able to figure out those things.
This technology seems frighteningly complicated because it is different. And therefore it should be condemned and subject to persecution and ridicule.
Besides, how is a lawyer who gets a "text message" supposed to respond to the court? Sending a reply text message? Once again, the technology obsessed forget the simple telephone. Lawyers are always free to call the court, on the courtroom telephone. What better way to communicate in a courtroom than to ring a telephone during the middle of court and have a verbal conversation with the clerk while court is in session. This sort of conversation isn't disruptive in the same way that a telephone conversation on a cell phone in court might be. This is the sort of verbal telephone conversation while court is in session that doesn't disrupt the court, because by definition it is conducting the business of Court.
Check and Mate.
A text conversation with a court clerk via computer and cell phone would be an impractically complicated and unnecessary means to fix a system that ain't broke. And if it ain't broke why should we fix it? The fact that texting is silent, and would be able to cause communication to take place sooner and more reliably than by voice calls placed to people who by definition are not going to be able to answer a voice call, is really just a bunch of gobbledygook.
Now if you'll excuse me I need to ride my horse home.
