'I'm not a cat,' insists US lawyer with filter trouble; 'He's an advo-cat,' say netizens

A court hearing via Zoom took an unexpected turn when a lawyer appeared as a cat on the screen on Tuesday. The incident happened when a judge began the proceedings of 394th Judicial District Court in Texas and an attorney joined the video conference using a Zoom filter that made him appear like a white kitten.

'I am here live. I am not a cat'

Judge Roy B. Ferguson asked Presidio County Attorney Rod Ponton to adjust his Zoom settings but he was unable to figure out how to turn off the cat filter. "Mr Ponton, I believe that you have a filter turned on in the video settings," the judge can be heard saying in the video which is being widely shared on social media. According to CNN, the mishap was posted by the court's YouTube channel.

"We are trying...can you hear me judge? It is a filter, I don't know how to remove it. My assistant is trying to but...I am prepared to go forward with it," Rod Ponton said. "I am here live. I am not a cat," he clarified. "I can see that," replied Judge Ferguson, whose district covers five counties in West Texas, including the town of Marfa from which Ponton was calling. It was the judge who helped Ponton remove the filter and the hearing proceeded, as per media reports. 

Judge Roy Ferguson shares an 'IMPORTANT ZOOM TIP'

The judge said on Twitter, "These fun moments are a by-product of the legal profession’s dedication to ensuring that the justice system continues to function in these tough times. Everyone involved handled it with dignity, and the filtered lawyer showed incredible grace. True professionalism all around!"

In an interview, Ponton said he has fielded calls from around the world and has been booked for national television.
"I always wanted to be famous for being a great lawyer. Now I'm famous for appearing in court as a cat," he told The Associated Press.

READ | Uttarakhand floods: CM Rawat meets injured, informs glacier burst did not cause avalanche

READ | Nadda slams Mamata over 'insider-outsider' argument, says 'dictatorship not WB's culture'

Here are some of the reactions:

READ | PM Modi gets emotional while bidding farewell to Cong MP Ghulam Nabi Azad in Rajya Sabha

READ | Bihar Cabinet: 17 new Ministers inducted; BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain is new Industry Minister