Sovereign citizen jailed 30 days for contempt of court after he refused to sign his name
Self-described sovereign citizen Michael Aaron Patton, charged with grand theft/$100,000 or more and utter forged check, was supposed to stand trial and represent himself this week.
But he asked for a lawyer after the jury was selected, the judge wound up declaring a mistrial, and Patton eventually landed in jail after being held in contempt of court.
At one point Patton, 50, asked if he could have a lawyer but still present his case on his own. Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon said no.
Patton filed a motion to postpone his case so he could hire a private attorney. The motion was denied by the judge.
Patton told the court he never had a chance to hire an attorney. Assistant State Attorney Tucker O'Neil said Patton had a private attorney, but that lawyer withdrew. O'Neil said Patton had enough time to hire a lawyer, but so far has refused to do so. The prosecutor noted that Patton's wife, also charged in this case, had a private lawyer.
Though the judge and the prosecution believe Patton asking for a lawyer at the last minute was a ploy to delay the trial, Herndon still declared a mistrial. The judge excused herself so she could dismiss the jurors, who were already picked. She later appointed the Public Defender's Office to represent him.
His new trial is set for early June. The judge warned Patton the trial will move forward in June whether he has a lawyer or not.
"I feel I've a winnable case," Patton said.
Sovereign citizens don't recognize government authority in several areas. When it was time for Patton to sign his name on a court document, he wrote something different. The judge told him if he didn't sign his name, he would be held in contempt.
At the end of the hearing, the judge found he was in contempt of court for not signing his name properly. He was arrested and sentenced to serve 30 days in jail. He also was fined $150 and ordered to pay mandatory court costs.
Why was Patton arrested?
In late 2022, Patton and his wife, Amy, were accused of purchasing two luxury vehicles from separate Ocala dealerships with counterfeit checks.
The vehicles were a 2023 BMW X7 and a 2023 GMC 2500 Denali. The total price was close to $200,000.
High-end vehicles: OPD: School teacher and her husband charged with buying luxury vehicles with fake checks
Patton's wife, a 50-year-old school teacher in Homosassa, entered a no contest plea last year and was sentenced to pre-trial diversion, according to court records. She completed her obligations in January. Her lawyer was Robert Allen Morris.
The Pattons live in Homosassa.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Judge sentences sovereign citizen to 30 days in jail
