‘I’m not a cat’: Texas lawyer struggles with zoom filter during virtual hearing

According to reports, attorney Rod Ponton accidentally had his cat filter on while he was attending a virtual court hearing with Judge Roy B. Ferguson on Zoom.

“Mr Ponton, I believe you have the filter turned on in the video settings,” said the judge.”I’m here live, I’m not a cat,” Ponton replied, adding that his assistant was trying to change the settings.

Take a look here:

A lawyer using Zoom had to let a judge know that he wasn’t a cat after inadvertently activating a face filter pic.twitter.com/vChc14mjM1

— Mikael Thalen (@MikaelThalen) February 9, 2021

The incident took place on February 9 and a video of the proceedings were posted on to the court’s YouTube channel.

As the video soon went viral on several social media platform, Judge Ferguson also posted the video on his official Twitter account, sharing an “important zoom tip”.

“If a child used your computer before you join a virtual hearing check the Zoom Video Options to be sure filters are off. This kitten just made a formal announcement on a case in the 394th (sound on). #lawtwitter #OhNo”.

IMPORTANT ZOOM TIP: If a child used your computer, before you join a virtual hearing check the Zoom Video Options to be sure filters are off. This kitten just made a formal announcement on a case in the 394th (sound on). #lawtwitter #OhNo @zoom_ushttps://t.co/I0zaj0wu6K

— Judge Roy Ferguson (@JudgeFergusonTX) February 9, 2021

Ponton told The Associated Press that he was using his assistant’s 10-year-old desktop Dell computer when he logged in for a routine civil forfeiture hearing Tuesday in Presidio County, Texas, where he serves as prosecutor.

Ponton added that his appearance looked fine on the webcam as he waited to be let into the Zoom hearing, however, when the session began, to his shock and dismay, he was a cat.

The video left many in splits. Take a look at some of the reactions here:

He’s not a lawyer. He’s an advocat. https://t.co/Ye4q6eePh9

— Tibor Martini (@tibor) February 9, 2021

“I’m here live. I’m not a cat.”
I haven’t laughed this hard all pandemic. Thank you, cat lawyer.

— Jennifer N. Victor (@jennifernvictor) February 9, 2021

“I’m not a cat”

THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT A CAT WOULD SAY

— Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) February 9, 2021

pic.twitter.com/zNsLiZGbS7

— 🖤The Scarlet Mom❤️ (@MercuryRenegade) February 9, 2021

All I know is “I’m not a cat” is exactly what a talking cat would say if it were trying to bum rush a legal proceeding.

— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) February 9, 2021

“Would my honorable colleague please prove he is not a cat by putting a potted plant next to him and leaving it there.”

— Glenn Fleishman (@GlennF) February 9, 2021

I can’t stop watching this.

— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) February 10, 2021

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