Allentown, Pennsylvania prosecutor Juliet L. Dowling and criminal-defense lawyer David A. Nicholls get in an argument outside the courtroom. Dowling says that Nicholls has a conflict of interest, and tries to bar him from the courtroom. Nicholls yells, cusses, and points his finger at Dowling. Nicholls gets charged with disorderly conduct for his trouble.

Nicholls, sixty-two years old, should be better able to control himself. There's no good excuse for abusing the prosecutor. But Dowling, no spring chicken herself, should be able to take a little abuse without filing criminal charges.