Ontario judge’s pro-Trump baseball cap causes courthouse uproar

Umm...what in the...



“The clerk said ‘all rise’ and the door opens and Justice Zabel comes out. He is in a black silk robe with the crimson sash and the white tie. He has a poppy on his lapel. And he is wearing a scarlet-coloured baseball cap that says Make America Great Again. And we all stand because we are supposed to stand when the judge comes in and he looks at everyone and said he was wearing the hat ‘because last night was an historic occasion,’” the source told The Globe and Mail.

Even a judge can have a laugh and create some butthurt.

We've seen Canadian judges doing stuff exponentially dumber than wearing a Trump hat and I didn't see the Globe and Mail falling over itself to give out their names and make them famous.

This.

That said, even the trump hat is too much. Judges are supposed to act completely impartial. This includes dress and deportment. A Trump hat of any kind isn't impartial.

If a defendant walked into the courtroom wearing that cap he would be told to take it off right quick.

As for G&M not naming judges - just the usual blather.

As far as I know that is the case. But if the defense counsel was worth his or her salt, she would ask for a dismissal of the case before the judge even sat down. It's a potentially prejudicial move on the judge's part an he should have known better.

We give too much deference to judges in Canada, afraid to criticize them.

Bottom line, keep your political opinions out of the courtroom. In fact, keep all your prejudices out of the courtroom as best you can. Even if you don't like a decision that you are bound to make, you make it. Interpret the law and judge accordingly, justice is supposed to be blind.

This has been a big problem with todays society, a lack of respect for accountability and playing by the rules. Whether police, judges, politicians, businessmen. If we have judges openly using the courts for a platform to promote something, how many can we believe have their palms greased? Character should not be bought and sold. Political opinions not allowed in the courtroom.

Just to make an extreme and unlikely point, what if the defendant in the case he was presiding was wearing a "Vote Hillary" shirt as he came in with his red hat? I suppose the judge would do right and recluse himself.

Prejudicial, no inappropriate yes and the fact that it's a Trump hat has nada to do with it. He should never have worn a ball cap, any ball cap into a court room in the first place. Having fun is one thing but this goes beyond the boundaries of good taste and proper decorum. If I was the defendant I'd be pissed right off and asking for a new trial based on this judges, lack of judgement.

LMAO pretty sure I've never read a news story that's says "today an anonymous judge...".

This must be the same judge who asked the rape victim why she didn't just keep her knees together.

Sad that even in Canada we have people like that in positions of authority.

I'm not surprised at all

I'm glad we all agree this was inappropriate