Austin Attorney Brings Infant to Trial

An Austin judge threatened to hold an attorney in contempt of court after she brought her newborn into the court room. Laywer Amber Vazquez Bode underwent a cesarean section in late April, and had asked for a delay in the minor theft trial she was working.

Bode requested the delay before the deadline, saying she was still on maternity leave. Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Gleen Bass however did not delay the trial, and told Bode she was expected in court at 9am Monday. The 2006 case had been delayed four times before. Prosecutors also had scheduled witnesses for the trial.

Bode arrived in court Monday with her child.  At one point Judge Bass warned her she could be held in contempt of court after she was "confrontational when addressing the court." In a Facebook post, Bode commented that her baby was "completely freaking out," and "the whole thing was out of hand."