Lawyer assures online court: ‘I’m not a cat’

Many of us have encountered problems with online hearings and Zoom meetings, but none so excruciating as Texas advocate Rod Ponton.

Footage of the Ponton went viral on the web today showing him unwittingly entering an online hearing with a cat filter on his screen. The interaction with Judge Roy Ferguson is priceless: Ponton, no doubt struggling to de-activate the digital costume, tells the court: ‘I’m here live, I’m not a cat.’

The judge, with admirable patience, responds: ‘I can see that.’ The short clip, viewed 3.2 million times within an hour of being posted by Reuters reporter Lawrence Hurley, can be viewed here.

Ferguson shared the video on social media, advising people to ensure that filters are switched off before joining virtual hearings.

Moral of the story: if you share your computer with another person - especially a child - check the settings very carefully before any mission-critical work.