Video footage showing a lawyer not named Cat is going viral after the image of him getting stuck in a Zoom filter during court hearing went viral. The incident happened during a Zoom call held in Texas’ 394th District Court for Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth and Presidio counties.
Attorney Rod Ponton found himself suddenly transformed into a fluffy white kitten with enormous eyes in a video shared online by Judge Roy Ferguson who tweeted a reminder about checking Zoom’s video options for filters.
What happened?
An attorney from Presidio County in Texas made meme history on Tuesday when he accidentally appeared as a feline during a virtual court hearing via Zoom. Judge Roy Ferguson noticed Ponton’s face being represented by an emotive white kitten filter when the proceedings started; to explain his mistake he blamed it on his secretary or said his child might have used the computer before him – an explanation which quickly went viral highlighting an important lesson: always check your Zoom settings prior to joining meetings! The video has since gone viral, providing yet another reminder: always double-check before joining.
Judge’s reaction
Court hearings are inherently serious affairs that often have profound ramifications for lives at stake, yet one Texas attorney recently became transformed into an adorable cat during a Zoom meeting with a judge – which was live-streamed onto YouTube and tweeted out by said judge to go viral!
Rod Ponton, an attorney with the Presidio County district attorney’s office in California, was unable to turn off a Zoom filter that displayed a white kitten mask over his face. His confusion was evident as he attempted to remove it but could not manage. Finally he decided that proceeding with proceedings as normal even if that meant having to present himself throughout as a kitten was worth doing so heroically.
Participants of Ponton’s call, including both him and Ponton’s assistant, looked on in amusement and bemusement. One assistant tried urging Ponton to turn off his filter but without success; Ponton simply smiled adorable catlike. Explaining that his IT department was still working on it was impossible for them to turn it off at that time.
Judge Roy Ferguson of the 394th Judicial District Court – covering several small counties in West Texas – applauded Ponton’s professionalism and pledged not to use the kitty filter again. Additionally, he reminded lawyers to check their video settings prior to each meeting, suggesting using an “no filter” setting if possible.
Occasional episodes like the one described may have been embarrassing for all involved; it is essential to remember that we live in the age of the coronavirus pandemic, with virtual meetings becoming ever more frequent during its spread. As long as everyone behaves responsibly and professionally during virtual meetings, such moments of humor serve as welcome breaks from what has been a frightening reality for so many affected by this virus.
Staci Zaretsky has been covering law and legal news since 2011, and can be reached at [email protected] for any inquiries.
Ponton’s mortification
Rod Ponton never expected his Zoom mishap to become an internet phenomenon, yet somehow managed to gracefully shrug it off with some grace despite having his video settings set incorrectly for his court hearing. The incident was caught on video and has since become a hit online – serving as a warning that before arriving for meetings it’s wise to check all options prior to making plans so as to avoid looking like a feline!
Ponton appeared as an open-eyed kitten during his hearing with Judge Roy Ferguson on Tuesday, prompting some humorous antics from other lawyers on the call. Ferguson was helpful in offering Ponton a quick tutorial on removing his filter – something he has been doing for more than 30 years as part of his service to Texas in both civil cases and misdemeanor prosecutions.
Ponton attended a hearing involving an individual trying to import contraband from Mexico into Texas through Presidio County and Big Bend National Park. While initially startled at seeing Ponton dressed like a cat, he understood his interpretation and the hearing continued without interruption.
After the hearing concluded, Judge Slevin uploaded Ponton’s unfortunate incident onto social media for further viewing – where it quickly went viral with over five million views so far on YouTube! Ponton didn’t realize his unexpected international prominence until reporters started calling his phone shortly thereafter to inquire.
Ponton admitted he felt embarrassed at his kitty-cat situation, yet saw it as an opportunity to make people laugh and serve as a reminder that technology may not always be intuitive in high-stakes settings such as court hearings or job interviews.
Last year, an incident wherein a person inadvertently joined a Zoom call as an animal made headlines worldwide – one woman using her daughter’s laptop attended and was unable to remove the dog filter that appeared on her screen, leading to one of the most memorable technological blunders ever experienced by humankind.
Ponton’s apology
Las Cruces — Texas attorney Rod Ponton made headlines this week for appearing as a cute kitten during a Zoom court hearing, prompting online laughter and viral shares of the post. Now he is facing allegations of defaming another lawyer outside the courtroom, potentially subject to legal prosecution or discipline by the bar if his attacks continue outside.
Ponton first attracted national attention during his three-year term as Brewster County district attorney from 2013 to 2016, when he directed an arrest raid at The Purple Zone smoke shop in Alpine. Its owner accused law enforcement officials of engaging in harassment by raiding this business as part of an overall pattern.
Ponton was then appointed to serve on the federal district court of Texas’ Western District, having met all of its requirements – passing a written test on law and procedure, appearing before a panel of lawyers, submitting letters of recommendation from previous employers and being approved by an actual judge – in 2010. Ponton successfully met these criteria without ever practicing in this particular district before, so was eventually sworn into office and officially began her term of office.
Ponton filed motions in the Contreras case alleging that attorney Gary Hill and investigator Ivan Enriquez have established a “symbiotic and beneficial relationship” with the Drug Enforcement Administration and received over $100,000 from them. Furthermore, Ponton claimed Enriquez is also being paid as a confidential informant by them; and had met with El Paso DEA agent Ernesto Perez to discuss kidnapping Juarez drug lord Gilberto “Mophead” Ontiveros for turnover to U.S authorities in exchange for a bounty payment from El Paso DEA agent Ernesto Perez.
Hill denied Ponton’s allegations in court Wednesday and requested dismissal of Ponton’s slander lawsuit against him. Unfortunately, the judge declined his request but ordered Ponton not to publish articles with those allegations any more. Meanwhile, Hill has filed his own lawsuit against both Ponton and the Herald-Post for publishing and providing copies of Ponton’s court filings to them; Hill believes republication of his allegations without being protected by legal privilege and that those articles continue to suggest that he was paid as an informant by DEA even after having recanted.