Girard judge sentences California woman to 10 days in jail

GIRARD -- A California woman has been ordered to serve 10 days in jail after initially being charged with a crime that is punishable with a fine.
Girard Municipal Court records show Janet Southall-El, 33, of California, was traveling on Interstate 680 on Wednesday when she was stopped by an Ohio State Highway Patrol officer who said she was going 75 mph in a 65 mph zone. Reports show that Southall-El refused to cooperate with officers and was taken directly to court.
In court, Southall-El again refused to cooperate. She refused to give her name, which officials had to take from a California driver's license. When Judge Michael Bernard called her by name, Southall-El told him the name was under copyright, and that the court could not speak it without paying her royalties.
Judge Bernard said Southall-El contended that she would not enter a plea to the speeding charge because she does not recognize the authority of the court -- because she follows the uniformed commercial code and a different set of laws.
"We went back and forth a couple of times trying to get her to comply, but she just persisted," the judge said.
Judge Bernard ultimately gave Southall-El a 10-day jail sentence for contempt of court. She must still face the speeding charge after completing the 10-day sentence.