HUDSONVILLE -- A court transcript shows a Stanton attorney repeatedly protested a judge's questions about his client's past drug use, sometimes in terse exchanges, before the judge ordered him to jail.

The transcript details the courtroom conversation between Hudsonville District Court Judge Ken Post and attorney Scott Millard over whether a 20-year-old man charged with being a minor-in-possession must divulge any recent drug use.

Millard advised his client to keep quiet because it could violate his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself.

Post disagreed with the argument and ultimately found Millard in contempt of court, sending him to jail for about four hours before another judge issued an emergency stay on the sentence.

The exchanged started as follows:

Judge Post: "When they give you a drug test today, are you gonna be clean or dirty?"

Millard: "Mr. Whale's gonna stand mute to that question, your Honor."

Judge Post: "He's not gonna stand mute. He's either gonna answer the question or I'm gonna remand him to jail, because I'm setting bond and I wanna know the answer to the question."

Post repeatedly tells Millard to be quiet and to sit down as the attorney continues to cite the Fifth Amendment. Post explains his motive is to get a baseline for the client's drug use so he will not test dirty.

Judge Post: "I'm not charging him with use of a controlled substance, counsel....I'm interested in getting a clean, honest bond response. Now if you don't wanna do that, you can leave. Your call."

Millard: "Your Honor, Mr. Whale has a Sixth Amendment right to assist...effective assistance of counsel."

Judge Post: "That's right, and that's not what he's getting at the moment."

Later, Millard starts to suggest something, presumably about a bond level, when Post cuts him off.

Judge Post: "I'm not interested in what you think. Haven't you gotten that yet?"

Post talks about jail near the end of the hearing, after he fines Millard $100.

Millard: "Your Honor, your insisting that he make an admission. He has a Fifth Amendment right not to make an admission."

Judge Post: "This is your second warning. I don't give a third. You make the call. And if you go, you're gonna be there for the whole weekend. You make the call."

Seconds later, he orders Millard to jail. About 20 minutes later, he calls him back to give him another chance.

Judge Post: "I am not going to tolerate disrespect in the courtroom. When I tell you to be quiet and have somebody else answer the question, that's what you do. If you don't like it, you've made a record, you take it up on appeal. Now, would you like to go to jail for the weekend or would you rather go home?"

The back-and-forth continues between the two and Post sends him to jail.

Grand Rapids attorney Michael Kelly said it's unusual for a judge to ask questions about recent drug use to a person charged with minor-in-possession, particularly if the person is not on probation or bond.

"I can't recall any specific instance in another courtroom where my client has been asked that," he said.

Kelly has 45 years of court experience and has handled many minor-in-possession cases.

Kentwood District Court Judge William Kelly, who is the brother of Michael Kelly, said he doesn't ask questions about past drug use in minor-in-possession arraignments.

"The purpose of the arraignment is to explain the charges, possible penalty and a person's rights," he said.

Kelly generally does not issue a bond in minor-in-possession cases.

E-mail John Tunison: jtunison@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/johntunison