I knew this was Judge Wilters after the first post. I watched him place a girl in cuffs like that once. Her crime? She was late. Probably 3-5 minutes after court had started.

He starts all his courts with a speech. 30 seconds or so later, someone wanders in. He gives them a thunderous look as they find their seat, the a minute later another one does it. He flips out and calls them on it and chastised them pretty hard. THEN a minute or two later Unlucky Lucy made her entrance.

Same as you, she was forced to sit through court with the prisoners in the jury box, though I don't remember if she was cuffed. She wasn't due in court or even a witness. She was simply there (as you were, and I was on the day of this story), in support of someone else.

Fwiw and I am NOT defending him, he deals MOSTLY with drug court and for the most part is trying to influence the behavior of many people who will NEVER do better. I am sure that can be frustrating. What he did was over the line but was likely intended more for his regulars than an innocent visitor like you.

I have seen one funny incident in his court but this isn't the thread to relate that one. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, just understand the deck is stacked against you in any sort of hope for a reprisal. I would contact the Lagniappe newspaper in Mobile. They don't seem scared of local politicians like the Mobile Press is.